RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Faulkner County is better than most counties in the state when it comes to certain health issues, such as smoking and exercising, but worse than the national average, a report revealed.
Lori Ross, chief development officer and corporate director of marketing/foundation for the Conway Regional Health System, said the report is telling.
“Overall, we’re doing pretty good, but there are factors we’re not doing so well in,” Ross said. “Those are the ones we’ve identified as risks.”
The health system commissioned Stratasan, a national health care research company based in Tennessee, to compile a community-health needs assessment.
“This is the most in-depth [study] we’ve ever done,” Ross said. “It’s been over 10 years since we’ve done something like this.”
She said a “multitude of data,” including patient records, a previous telephone survey by the hospital and focus groups, was used with the Stratasan research.
“It’s great news that you’re in the top four or five [counties], but bad news that you’re still far below national averages,” said J. Tod Fetherling of Nashville, Tenn., founder of Stratasan.
In Faulkner County, 13 percent of residents report that they binge drink, compared with 12 percent in Arkansas and 8 percent in the nation; 33 percent are obese compared with 32 percent in Arkansas and 26 percent in the nation; and 19 percent smoke, compared with 23 percent in the state and 14 percent in the nation.
In Conway County, for example, the report shows that 29 percent of the population smokes. Binge drinking is worse in Perry, Lonoke and Pulaski counties, according to the report.
The report was presented in June at the Faulkner County Health Summit at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where community members were invited for a brainstorming session. Ross said it was a diverse group, from business and industry leaders to church groups.
Ross said they came up with 11 “core topics” to address: obesity; education of adults and children; drinking/smoking/drugs; diet/nutrition; wellness; affordability; access; the physician/clinician workforce; exercise; chronic diseases; and personal responsibility.
Community leaders put together a plan to address the topics, and that information was presented to the Conway Regional Health System board at the end of July.
One of the many goals listed was to have Faulkner County be ranked the No. 1 healthiest county in Arkansas by 2017.
Ross said the report will be published within the next few weeks to distribute to community groups.
“The intent … is for all types of groups to use it. What we’ve done is identify the need,” Ross said. “We’re not saying that Conway Regional is going to address every one of these needs - we cannot.”
It points groups “in a good direction,” she said. “We’ve done the homework.”
The report will also help the Conway Regional Health System develop programs internally.
“It will impact us, too, by the way we apply resources to new programs and existing programs. We’ve got a great diabetes program - we’re making an impact there. Smoking - we don’t have a smoking-cessation program, but we’re probably going to have to start one,” Ross said.
“There are a lot of great areas to go work on,” Fetherling said. “Some of these don’t cost a lot of money to make a big impact, and it’s really about getting the local community energized about the health topics,” and working together.
Jim Lambert, president and CEO of the health system, said hospital officials now have a better understanding of the community’s health needs.
“Creating this needs assessment is another step toward a sense of health for our entire community,” he said. “Faulkner County is a wonderful place to live. It is one of the top-rated communities to live in the state. Whether you work, play or retire in Faulkner County, we want our community to be recognized as the healthiest in the state. We can only achieve this noble goal by working together: hospital, physicians, industry, media, nonprofits, county health department, churches and residents. We all have a hand in making our community strong and healthy.”
More information on the report is available at www.conwayregional.org.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.
River Valley Ozark, Pages 244 on 08/26/2012