Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the CHNA topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community Health Needs Assessment shows lower life expectancy and access gaps in Wilkes County
Summary
A 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment presented to the Wilkes County Board of Health found life expectancy of about 73.7 years, provider-to-population shortfalls, higher chronic disease and obesity rates, and identified access to care, chronic disease prevention and mental health/substance use as top priorities.
Jared Belk presented the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to the board, summarizing secondary data and results from a survey of more than 540 Wilkes County residents. He reported the county population at about 65,983 and stated the county’s life expectancy at roughly 73.7 years.
The CHNA highlighted gaps in access to care: an uninsured rate of 11.4% overall and higher rates among Hispanic or Latino residents (19.2%), low family-medicine provider density (about 13.6 providers per 100,000 residents versus higher state figures), and lower satisfaction rates with healthcare in the Wilkes Medical Center service area (about 32.7%). The assessment listed priority areas for action: access to care, chronic disease and obesity prevention, and mental health and substance-use services.
