Health Care Access Results

Outline of the state of Michigan

New report identifies health and access gaps in Michigan's Vietnamese community

First statewide assessment finds high uninsured rates, language barriers to care, and unmet mental health needs among Vietnamese Michiganders.

A new report finds Vietnamese Michiganders face high uninsurance rates, language barriers, and unmet mental health needs, the first community health assessment of its kind in the state.

Michael Shepherd

Understanding rural America's health crisis

Health policy researcher shares journey to public health, where he sees hope for the future

University of Michigan public health researcher Michael Shepherd examines rural healthcare disparities, hospital closures, Medicaid policy and growing insurance gaps across America. Drawing on his Kentucky roots and academic research, Shepherd explains why rural hospitals struggle, how closures devastate communities and where telehealth and mobile care offer hope for patients.

Donglin Zeng

University of Michigan biostatistics researcher turns complex health data into better treatment decisions

Honored with the 2026 Excellence in Research Award, Donglin Zeng develops tools that help clinicians identify more effective treatments for individual patients and guide public health decisions

University of Michigan biostatistician Donglin Zeng transforms complex health data into precision medicine tools that help clinicians personalize treatments and improve public health decisions. Honored with the 2026 Excellence in Research Award, his work blends statistics, machine learning and patient care to advance evidence-based medicine, vaccine research and healthier outcomes.

Two older people sit by a lake.

Michigan's a great place to grow older, say those who are doing it

More than a third of Michigan’s 10 million people are over 50, and a new poll shows that 82% of them see the state as a good to excellent place to live as they grow older. The new data from the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging could help inform Michigan policymakers and organizations as they work to serve the needs of older Michiganders now and in the future.