What is the Community Health Needs Assessment?

• Completed by the Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services with support CaroMont Health and local partners every three years.
• Describes health-related measures and community opinions about county health issues.
• Cooperative journey with local stakeholders CaroMont Health, Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services, Gaston Community Healthcare Commission, United Way and others.

The report contains information about the overall health of Gaston County, including disease and mortality rates. Based on 2009 to 2013 data from the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, the leading causes of death in Gaston County are:

1. Heart disease
2. All cancers
3. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
4. Stroke
5. Alzheimer's disease

One component of the Community Health Needs Assessment is the Quality of Life Survey. This survey queried Gaston County residents from four diverse groups including, community leaders, community residents, high school students, and persons living in low-income areas, on their perception of local health issues. Based on survey responses, the top local health issues are identified as:

1. Obesity
2. Illegal drug use
3. Teen pregnancy
4. Alcohol abuse
5. Prescription drug use

CaroMont Health has chosen to focus its efforts specifically on providing services to lower obesity rates, increasing access to mental health services and reducing the incidence of prescription drug abuse.

For information on the Community Health Assessment results, click on the links below:
Click here for the 2015 Community Health Assessment, and here for the implementation strategy.
Click here for the 2012 Community Health Assessment, and here for the implementation strategy.