By Toni Gibbons Navajo County ranks highest among Arizona counties for air quality, hiking trails and city parks, small town and community social support and knowledge of healthy habits, according to the Navajo County Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) which was presented to the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 23. Navajo County Public Health Services District Director Jeff Lee introduced members of the team who have been working on the project: Allison Hephner, community outreach specialist; Edwin Rodriguez, epidemiologist; and Mare Schumacher, founder of Mare Insights. Hephner shared that on Jan. 10, the team got together with 60 different agencies, businesses and community members to start the process of doing surveys and talking with community members. While the above noted attributes were positive, the other side of the spectrum was quite a bit dimmer. The top five target areas identified by the CHA that the plan is looking to address are substance abuse, poverty, mental health issues, chronic diseases and sexually transmitted diseases (STD). In Navajo County, alcohol related deaths were three times as common than throughout the state as a whole and drug-related deaths were more than double that of Arizona as a whole. The median income in Navajo County is $36,900, while the median income in Arizona is $51,300 and the median income in the United States is $55,300. Thirty percent of the county residents live at or below poverty. Regarding mental health, the county’s suicide rate is twice that of the U.S., with more than 9,000 emergency room visits every year related to mental disorders. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the county followed closely by cancer. The numbers of people with diabetes living within the county are double the state and national rates. STDs are a growing epidemic. The county’s rates of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are the second highest in Arizona. While the top five areas seem a little dark Hephner shared, “It was important to understand where we are as a county in order to find solutions to the issues. Right now, the number one priority and concern in all of Navajo County is addiction.” “The next step is to take the CHA and the CHIP to communities,” said Hephner. From there self-directed teams will move the plans into action with the oversight and assistance of the Health Services District.
