Four-County Community Health Needs Assessment 2004

Summary of Findings

Carroll County Demographic Profile

A demographic analysis of Carroll County residents who participated in the Northwest Arkansas Health Care Needs Assessment was compared to the 2002 Census Bureau Data for Carroll County. The Health Care Needs Assessment demographic profile is designed to assess whether survey respondents are representative of the population at large, within Carroll County. Demographic variables assessed included the following; gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and employment status.

Results of the demographic profile analysis suggested that survey respondents were more likely to be female, older, over representative of Native Americans, under representative of Hispanics/Latinos, and less likely to be employed, as compared to the 2002 US Census Bureau Data statistics.

Nearly 69% of survey respondents were female, and a little over 31% were male. This finding was compared to the 2002 US Census Bureau Data figures, which indicted that 51% of Carroll County residents were female and 49% are male. Survey participants were older, as a group, as compared to the general population. Nearly 28% of survey respondents were 18-44 years of age, as compared to 44.5% of the population, utilizing the 2002 Census Bureau Data. Among older adults, (45-64 years of age, and 65 or greater), 72% of survey respondent were 45 years of age and older, as compared to 55.5% of adults, in the 2002 Census. The multicultural status of survey respondents demonstrated a significant propensity to over represent Native Americans, and under represent Hispanics/Latinos, as compared to the most current Census data figures. Employment status also emerged as a divergent finding, as compared to the 2002 Census Bureau Data. Nearly 49% of survey respondents were employed and 52% were unemployed. The finding contrasts with the 2002 US Census Bureau Data indicated that nearly 59% of CarrollCounty residents were employed and 41% were unemployed.

Several factors likely contributed to the demographic divergence observed between the demographic profiles of survey respondents in Carroll County, as compared to the 2002 US Census Bureau Data. It is possible that the demographic patterns within Carroll County are shifting secondary to the increased population migration into the region and due to socioeconomic factors.


survey findings - carroll county

Medical Care Costs

The costs of medical care services are of significant concern for the residents of Carroll County. Medical care costs were rated as the most significant health care concern affecting the citizens of Carroll County. Nearly 73% of survey respondents identified money for prescriptions, as the most important health care concern that CarrollCounty is currently experiencing. Money needed for ongoing medical care and money for emergency care represented the other top rated concerns of Carroll County residents.

Gender represented a significant variable, affecting Carroll County resident's perceptions in regard to the costs of medical care services. Women, who often act as the gatekeepers and access point for medical care issues within families and communities, expressed significantly greater concern in terms of the costs for medical care services, as compared to male respondents. Female survey respondents cited significantly greater concern in regard to the money for prescriptions, money for emergency medical care, and money for ongoing medical care. Given the relatively greater number of women respondents who participated in the Four-County Community Health Needs Assessment and women's "traditional" central role in ensuring health care services for their families, it is not surprising that gender (female respondents), were significantly more concerned about the cost of "core" health care services as compared to other respondents.


Access to Health Care Services

Access to needed health care services represents not only a significant challenge for individuals and families, but also for communities. Communities, like individuals, develop their own unique characteristics. It is, therefore, incumbent upon successful communities to not only become cognizant of its own unique nature, but to also develop an array of needed services in order to successfully meet the needs of its citizenry.   There is no service more critical to the health and welfare of its citizens than health care services.

Survey respondents within CarrollCounty identified access to the following health care services as being of the greatest concern:

While many communities may experience similar difficulties in accessing needed health care services, the health service needs identified by the Carroll County survey respondents, reflect not only the rural nature of the county, but the need for essential health care services.

Younger adults, 18-44 years of age, appeared to be significantly more concerned about access to health care services, as compared to older adults. This somewhat surprising finding requires further explanation, as typically older and middle aged adults are more likely to be concerned about the access to health care services, than younger adults.


Physical Health Care Issues

Carroll County residents, who participated in the Four-County Community Health Needs Assessment, identified the following physical health issues, as being most concerning for their community:

Approximately 61% of survey respondents rated cancer, as the most serious physical health care problem that confronts the residents of Carroll County. Nearly 60% of the survey participants cited cigarette smoking and/or second hand smoke as a significant problem, and 59% of CarrollCounty residents identified weight problems, as a major issue.


The employment status, socioeconomic level, and household composition (dependents or no dependents) of CarrollCounty residents, exerted a significant effect upon survey respondent's perceptions in regard to physical health care issues. Employed adults were significantly more concerned about asthma or other lung diseases, as compared to unemployed adults. Household income was also a significant variable affecting survey respondent's opinions in regard to physical health. Households whose annual income was less than $29,000 per year expressed a significantly greater concern about HIV than households with income of $29,000-$99,000 per year. A somewhat different pattern response was observed in terms of cigarette smoking and/or second hand smoke. The highest income households (annual income of greater than $99,000 per year) reported a significantly greater concern about the effects of cigarette smoking and/or second hand smoke, as compared to lower socioeconomic level households (less than $29,000)

While there may be several different explanations for this finding, part of the reason for these differences may be attributed to the health knowledge of respondents. Several recent studies have suggested that higher educational level and advanced knowledge about basic health issues is significantly negatively correlated with cigarette smoking (CDC, 2002). While no significant differences were noted on any physical health issues by survey respondents in terms of their education level, future health surveys may want to assess basic health knowledge as an important consideration in the health assessment process. It is also possible, that the differences in respondent's opinions in terms of the impact of cigarette smoking and/or second hand smoke may be an artifact of household income. It has been well documented that the lower the household income, the more likely members of these households will be smokers (CDC 2002). As age and education level are also important variables affecting household income, future studies will need to examine the confluence of factors that contribute to different perceptions about smoking, based upon household wealth. In addition, households with no dependents expressed significantly more concern about cigarette smoking and/or second hand smoke and osteoporosis, than households with dependents.



Mental Health Care Issues

Substance abuse and alcoholism were identified as the most serious mental health care issues, affecting Carroll County. Given the proliferation of substance abuse in Northwest Arkansas in recent years, particularly methamphetamine abuse, CarrollCounty resident's concerns about these issues is not surprising. Over 65% of respondents cited substance abuse as the most significant health care issue, which affects Carroll County. Survey participants identified available and affordable substance abuse services (52.5%), and alcoholism (46/5%), as significant mental health concerns affecting Carroll County.


Multicultural Health Care Issues

Cultural and/or language barriers and access to affordable and available health care services were rated by survey respondents as the most significant multicultural health care concerns in Carroll County. Over 40.5% of survey respondents considered cultural and/or language barriers to accessing health care services as the most significant multicultural health care issue. Nearly 37% of survey participants expressed concern in regard to accessing affordable and available health care services for multicultural members of the Carroll County community.

Carroll County Qualitative Summary

Carroll County survey respondents were queried in terms of identifying the top 3 health care concerns confronting their community. Out of the 114 surveys collected in Carroll County, the top three health care concerns that affect their community were:

 
webdesign by chris bray