Report reveals top 4 health concerns in Kent County

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A community assessment has identified the four most urgent health concerns in Kent County, the health department says.

Every three years, the Kent County Health Department and several health care partners conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment, which involves community surveys, focus groups, phone interviews and prioritization sessions.

The health department on Wednesday announced the final results of the 2023 CHNA. It identified four top health-related priorities: housing, health insurance, access to medical care and access to healthy food.

Around one-third of Kent County residents live in housing that is unaffordable, meaning that they spend over 30% of their income on housing costs, according to the CHNA. The report says renters are more impacted than homeowners: Median housing costs for Kent County homeowners increased by 15% from 2017 to 2022, but for renters, these costs increased by 36%. The report also notes that more Black and Hispanic adults in Kent County reported struggling to afford housing expenses in 2023 than in 2020. For instance, in 2020, 13% of Black adults said they had been unable to pay mortgage, rent or utilities in the past year. In 2023, that figure jumped to 25%.

Health insurance was another top priority. Adults without insurance or adults with Medicaid are significantly more likely than adults with private insurance to not seek the care they need because of the cost, according to the CHNA. People also reported issues with navigating insurance and difficulty finding providers that accept public health insurance.

Next, the CHNA revealed access to medical care as a pressing concern. The report says 25% of survey respondents reported challenges in getting health care, with refugees, immigrants, people in the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities especially likely to report these barriers. Common challenges included paying for medical care, physically getting to medical care, navigating the system and having negative interactions with health care staff, according to the report.

Finally, the assessment identified access to healthy food as a top issue in Kent County. Eighteen percent of adults reported running out of food and not being able to buy more in the past year — and according to the CHNA, women, Black adults and Hispanic adults are especially likely to experience food insecurity. The report notes that one-third of people who experience food insecurity make too much money to qualify for food assistance benefits, creating a gap.

Other significant health-related concerns in Kent County included chronic health conditions, community safety, dental care, mental health, sexual and reproductive health and substance use, according to the report.

The health department says the results of the CHNA will be used to develop a Community Health Improvement plan.

To read the full 2023 report, you can visit kentcountyhealthconnect.org .

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