Gaston County Community Health Assessment March 2019 Prepared By: The Gaston County Department of Health & Human Services in Collaboration with CaroMont Regional Medical Center i i Acknowledgement The Gaston County Team would like to thank Gaston County residents for providing input on their health and community by participating in surveys and focus group meetings. We would like to thank community agencies and organizations who provided meeting space, volunteers and who encouraged the community to participate in the assessment process. We thank DHHS staff and volunteers who participated in the data collection process. At three meetings from August 2017 to October 2018, Gaston County Department of Health Human Services, CaroMont Health, Gaston Together, the Unity Way of Gaston County and representatives of stakeholder organizations reviewed the 2018 Community Health Assessment process and updated the survey instruments for 2018. The revised survey ensured that we gathered community opinions on health and quality of life issues in Gaston County. The members of this Community Health Assessment Advisory Committee were: CaroMont Health Gaston County Department of Health and Del Murphy, Darcel Walker, Lisa Clement- Human Services Bryant & Debbie Bellenger Yvonne Boafo*, Abby Newton*, Carrie Meier, Angela Karchmer, Steve Eaton & Cheri Singleton Carrie E. and Lena V. Glenn Foundation Gaston Together Laura Lineberger Donna Lockett & Amy Boyd Community Foundation of Gaston County Gaston Family Health Services Ernest Sumner Lavondia Alexandria & Donyel Barber Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce NC Cooperative Extension Service Reeves McGlohon David Fogarty Gaston County Government Partners Behavioral Health Management Earl Mathers & David Williams Kenneth Gehrig, Jennifer Green Faith-Based Community Phoenix Counselling Services Reverend David Christy Becky Jones Gaston County Police Department Gaston County Schools Joseph Ramey Chad Duncan Retired Businessman/CEO PSNC Energy Jaggy Anand Don Harris United Way of Gaston County HealthNet Gaston June Jones Donna Elliot YMCA **Project Staff: Yvonne Boafo & Abby Newton Tony Sigmon ii The following Gaston County DHHS staff participated on the Steering Committee. This group met three times from August 2017 - October 2018 to provide feedback and guidance on the CHA process and survey tools. Steve Eaton Cheri Singleton Public Health Director Personal Health Services Administrator Abby Newton Brittain Kenney Special Projects Manager Public Information Officer Yvonne Boafo Samantha Dye Data Analyst Assistant Environmental Health Administrator Carrie Meier LaVerne Partlow Community Health Education Administrator Health Education Alyssa Mouton Health Education Supervisor The following staff assisted with Focus Group Discussions and logistics for meetings. Leigh Yount Health Education Supervisor Mellissa Barnes Administrative Assistant Christie Williams Administrative Assistant These committees reviewed the 2015 Quality of Life Survey process and developed a survey of essential questions in an easy-to-follow format for 2018. The committees made the greatest changes to the survey format and collection process. This made the questions easier to follow and answer, and made it possible to obtain more responses from diverse groups of residents. The 2018 survey was short but contained most of the questions in the 2015 survey, in a different format, which enabled us to compare trend data over time. The 2018 Gaston County Quality of Life Survey begins on page 53. iii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Background and Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Brief Description of Gaston County ............................................................................................ 2 Geographic ................................................................................................................................................ 2 History ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 Demographics ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter 3: Health Data Collection Process .............................................................................................. 6 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................................. 6 Primary Data Collection Process: Quality of Life Survey ........................................................................... 7 Survey Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 7 Community Leaders .............................................................................................................................. 8 Community Residents ........................................................................................................................... 8 Focus Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Persons Living in Low-Income Neighborhoods ................................................................................... 9 Secondary Data Collection ................................................................................................................... 12 Priorities Selection Process .................................................................................................................. 12 Chapter 4: Health Data ................................................................................................................................ 13 Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 13 Overall Health Status .......................................................................................................................... 13 Health Resources: ............................................................................................................................... 13 Health Professionals ............................................................................................................................ 14 Educational and Socio-Economic Factors .............................................................................................. 15 Health Problems and Disabilities ............................................................................................................ 15 Barriers to Healthcare and Assistance with Prescription/medication needs ........................................... 15 Mortality ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Infant Mortality ................................................................................................................................... 18 Morbidity / Diseases ............................................................................................................................... 19 Chronic Disease Rates ........................................................................................................................ 19 Infectious and Respiratory Diseases ................................................................................................... 21 Injuries ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Obesity ................................................................................................................................................ 22 Oral Health .......................................................................................................................................... 23 iv STDs, HIV .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Other Communicable Diseases – Hepatitis ......................................................................................... 25 Maternal and Child Health ...................................................................................................................... 26 Mental Health and Substance Use .......................................................................................................... 27 Healthcare ............................................................................................................................................... 28 Social Environment ............................................................................................................................. 30 Financial / Economic Factors .............................................................................................................. 34 Individuals ........................................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 5: Prevention and Health Promotion ........................................................................................ 48 Screenings ..............................................................................................................................................