During the Southeast Utah Health Department (SEUHD) board meeting on Tuesday, board members reviewed the results they received from the Community Health Assessment. It was stated that there were 5,401 surveys that were distributed throughout the region of Carbon, Emery and Grand counties. The survey was divided into three main categories.
These categories included housing and safety, physical health and mental health. In total, 2,531 surveys were distributed in Carbon County, 1,616 in Emery County and 1,254 in Grand County with a 30.05% return rate. The surveys were sent out on July 21 and were returned approximately six weeks later.
The results of the survey were divided into four sections with the desire to see the overall health and discover if the different counties had any specific concerns.
For children and adolescents aged 17 or younger, big concerns included the NICU, birth defects, heart condition, asthma, ADHD or ADD, cancer and more. Adults in the region scored significantly higher than the United State in heart attack, liver disease, asthma, type 1 diabetes, depressive disorder, PTSD or more than one disease.
From the results, the next steps were discussed, such as funding and new initiatives, with the statement that reducing the rates will take time. Mental health resources, speaking with other agencies and a follow-up were also discussed as things that could occur in the next step.
The SEUHD also discussed receiving the data in an even more accurate fashion the next time around, possibly by treating it like the U.S. Census. The assessments are required every five years, but SEUHD’s Bradon Bradford stated that they do not know when the next one will be sent out. Appreciation was extended to Bradford, Jared Cloutier, the health department staff and the Board of Health.