Community Demographics
The tables below are Pocahontas County health statistics based on the county’s demographics.
Pocahontas Population Demographics (as per the 2010 US Census)
| Total Population | 8,719 | |
| Number of households | 3,758 | |
| Population density | 9.3 mi 2 | |
| Racial Makeup | White | 97.8% |
| African American | 0.7% | |
| American Indian | 0.2% | |
| Other races | 0.2% | |
| Two or more races | 1.0% | |
| Hispanic | 0.8% | |
| Median age | 47.1 | |
Population Health Assessment Analysis
| Major Causes of Death |
Pocahontas County (per 100,000) |
|
Malignant Neoplasms (Cancers) |
298.2 |
| Heart Diseases | 217.9 |
|
Cerebrovascular Disease (stroke) |
103.2 |
|
Accidents, All Forms |
91.8 |
|
Alzheimer’s Disease |
91.8 |
|
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease |
80.3 |
| Poisonings | 45.9 |
|
Influenza/ Pneumonia |
22.9 |
| Nephritis | 22.9 |
|
Suicide (including ODs) |
22.9 |
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Population Health SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Community input through fundraisers
Ease access to health facilities
Weaknesses
Insufficient Physicians
High turnover rate of primary care providers
Opportunities
Potential resources for creation of new health facilities
A relatively manageable population
Threats
Increasing federal regulations
Increased cost of insurance services
Population Health Issues – Root Cause Analysis
| Health Issues |
Pocahontas County |
|
Adult Heavy Drinkers |
10% |
|
Poor or Fair Health |
22% |
|
Adult Smokers |
23% |
|
Adult Obesity |
32.0% |
|
Physical Inactivity |
28.0% |
|
Food Environment Index |
6.0 |
County Health & Community Service Members for Collaboration
Pocahontas County has a rigid collaboration between community members and the county health system. For instance, Pocahontas Memorial Hospital was built mostly from the contribution of community members through fundraisers.
Local Health Care Resources and Other Related Agencies
| Facility | Services |
|
Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, Buckeye |
Hospitalist and Emergency Medicine |
| PMH Rural Health Clinic, Buckeye | Family Practice |
| Community Care, Marlinton and Hillsboro | Family Practice |
| Community Care, Green Bank |
Family Practice, school based health care |
| Big Springs and Deer Creek Clinics, Green Bank and Slatyfork | Family Practice |
| Buckeye | Family Practice |
Narrative
Pocahontas demographics' influence on the county's health can be assessed from a social and economic perspective. Social and economic insecurities are significant causes of physical and mental health issues. Unemployment can be a cause for one to engage in unhealthy behaviors. In 2015, Pocahontas County recorded an average unemployment rate of 8.2 %. In comparison, the state of West Virginia recorded an overall unemployment rate of 6.7% (Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, 2016). Pocahontas County's statistics show a reduction from the unemployment rate in 2014, which was 8.7%, unlike the overall West Virginia 0.1% increase from the 2014 unemployment rate (Bishaw & Semega, 2015). The small reduction of Pocahontas County unemployment rates could, in theory, cause a proportionate reduction in health issues. However, it is difficult to statistically record the improvement in health due to a reduction in unemployment because many unquantifiable factors are also in play. In that vein, the poverty rate in Pocahontas increased by about 0.5% from 2000 to 2014. A majority of residents, 47.9%, have their highest level of education as high school (Bishaw & Semega, 2015). These factors could also, in theory, affect the health rate of the county.
The health assessment of Pocahontas County is measured from morbidity and mortality rates. While there are many effects of unhealthiness, death is, in many ways, the end game. For this reason, to understand the health of the county, there is a need to assess the root cause of deaths in the county. There are many causes of death in Pocahontas County, disease-induced or otherwise. The leading cause of death is cancer, seconded by heart diseases from the top ten factors recorded above (National Center for Health Statistics, 2015). Therefore, the morbidity rate of the county is higher than other causes of death. The high rate of suicide is also an alarming issue. It reflects poorly on how the county health sector handles mental health issues. Community members also express their concern about drug treatment options and the availability of mental health treatments in hospitals (Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, 2016). In particular, rural areas have inadequate facilities to accommodate patients with mental health issues. Drug abuse not only affects the concerned individual but their family and community as well. It also causes chronic illnesses and increases the risk of road accidents and criminal activities.
The SWOT analysis of Pocahontas' health sector is the bedrock for improving its services. The community's unity is the county's greatest strength. Fundraisers have helped build hospitals and create awareness on how to create and maintain healthy habits (Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, 2016). The community can assess where the health sector has failed and then makes an effort to improve it. On the other hand, the county faces a severe problem of inadequate specialists. For every 1,730 residents, there is only one health care provider (National Center for Health Statistics, 2015). Due to poor working conditions and low income, physicians have opted to leave their jobs as health care workers. Community members end up suffering from the turnover rate. Most of them lament the inability to create healthy and long-lasting relationships with primary care providers. Rural areas are relatively disadvantaged in specialty care such as gynecology or cardiology (Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, 2016). Patients from rural areas are forced to travel long distances to access such specialty treatment; some even forego it altogether.
Pocahontas County has promising statistics. With an increase in funding and more effort from community members, it is likely to improve its major areas of concern like inadequate specialists and mental health.
References
Bishaw, A., & Semega, J. (2015). US Census Bureau, American Community Survey Reports, ACS-09. Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data From the 2007 American Community Survey .
Centers for Disease Control, Prevention (US), National Center for Health Statistics (US), & National Vital Statistics System (US). (2015). National vital statistics reports: from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System . National Center for Health Statistics. Pocahontas Memorial Hospital (2016). Community Health Needs Assessment. https://www.pmhwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Pocahontas-Memorial-Hospital-CHNA-2016.pdf
