2015 Gaston County Community Health Assessment March 2016 Prepared by: The Gaston County Department of Health &Human Services in collaboration with CaroMont Health, Gaston Together, and the United Way of Gaston County Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1: Background and Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Brief County Description ............................................................................................................. 2 Geographic ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Demographics ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter 3: Health Data Collection Process ................................................................................................... 5 Primary Data Collection Process: Quality of Life Survey ........................................................................... 5 Secondary Data Collection ........................................................................................................................ 9 Priorities Selection Process ....................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 4: Health Data Results ................................................................................................................... 10 Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Overall Health Status .......................................................................................................................... 10 Health Resources Data ........................................................................................................................ 10 Educational and Socioeconomic Factors ............................................................................................ 11 Health Problems and Disabilities ........................................................................................................ 11 Barriers to Healthcare ......................................................................................................................... 11 Assistance with Prescription/Medication Needs ................................................................................ 11 Mortality ................................................................................................................................................. 12 Morbidity/Diseases ................................................................................................................................. 14 Chronic Disease Rates ......................................................................................................................... 14 Infectious and Respiratory Diseases ................................................................................................... 15 Injuries ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Obesity ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Oral Health .......................................................................................................................................... 17 STDs and HIV ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Maternal and Child Health .................................................................................................................. 18 Lead Poisoning .................................................................................................................................... 19 Mental Health ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Health Care ............................................................................................................................................. 20 Determinants of Health .......................................................................................................................... 21 Social Environment ............................................................................................................................. 21 i Financial/Economic Factors ................................................................................................................ 24 Individual Behavior ............................................................................................................................. 25 Physical Environment .......................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 5: Prevention and Health Promotion ............................................................................................ 34 Screenings with Educational Programs ................................................................................................... 34 Cholesterol/Hypertension ...................................................................................................................... 34 HIV ......................................................................................................................................................... 34 Oral Health ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Educational Programs and Policies ......................................................................................................... 34 Nutrition and Physical Activity ............................................................................................................ 34 Tobacco Cessation .............................................................................................................................. 35 Community Support for Health Behaviors .............................................................................................. 35 Chapter 6: Community Concerns and Priorities ......................................................................................... 36 Survey Findings ....................................................................................................................................... 36 Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Health Databook ..................................................................................................................................... 44 Mortality ............................................................................................................................................. 44 Morbidity ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Health Care ......................................................................................................................................... 49 Determinants of Health ...................................................................................................................... 50 Community (Quality of Life) Survey ........................................................................................................ 54 Survey Instrument ............................................................................................................................... 54 Survey Results ..................................................................................................................................... 60 General Population Comparisons ....................................................................................................... 60 Health Services Directory of Gaston County ........................................................................................... 69 ii Acknowledgments At three meetings from September through December 2014, the Gaston County Health Department, CaroMont Health, Gaston Together, the United Way of Gaston County, and representatives of stakeholder organizations updated the survey instrument used for the past three CHAs to secure community opinions on health and quality of life issues in Gaston County. The members of this Quality of Life/Community Health Assessment Survey Committee were: CaroMont Health Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services Andrea Serra & Kimberly Sain* Shambreya Burrell*, William Gross*, Abby Newton, Karen Calhoun & Steve Eaton Carrie E. and Lena V. Glenn Foundation Gaston Emergency Medical Services Barbara Voorhees Mark Lamphiear Community Foundation of Gaston County Gaston Family Health Services Ernest Sumner Veronica J. Feduniec Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce Gaston Together Ann Hoscheit, OD Donna Lockett* & Darcel Walker Gaston County Government NC Cooperative Extension Service Earl Mathers, Adrian Miller, David Williams David Fogarty