The North Carolina Division of Public Health requires local health departments to conduct a comprehensive Community Health Assessment (CHA) every three to four years. During the interim years, an annual report is to be created by the local health departments known as the State of the County Health Report (SOTCH). The yearly report provides an update on the priority health concerns identified on the 2020 Community Health Assessment. It also provides the most recent mortality and morbidity data for the county. Our top 2 priorities chosen are:

Tobacco

Hypertension

The Anson County Health Department (ACHD) and the local hospital, Atrium Health Anson (AHA), partnered together to complete the 2020 Community Health Assessment. Atrium Health Anson is serving as the lead agency for hypertension while the Anson County Health Department is serving as the lead agency for Tobacco. Both priorities align with the Healthy North Carolina 2030 Objectives. Information gathered for the Community Health Assessment and used in the SOTCH report, was gathered from interviews, community surveys, focus groups, community stakeholders, an advisory committee, and key informants. The Anson County SOTCH report is provided and presented to state and local government, community stakeholders, and the public. The report is also provided at community meetings and for the public, the SOTCH report is available on the Anson County Government website.

Anson County Overview

Anson County was established in 1750 and is in North Carolina’s Piedmont region. The County takes its name from a Royal Navy Officer named Lord George Anson (1697-1762). For a while, Anson County was one of the largest territories in the colony, with borders that extended westward as far as the Mississippi River. Later, some of Anson County became Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Richmond, and Union Counties. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the county is around 22,060. Back in 2010, the population was 26, 948 according to the 2010 Census. As you can see, Anson County’s population seems to be declining each year. Anson County is currently ranked as one of the five least healthy counties (95 out of 100) in the state according to the 2023 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Concerns that may be related to this are access to care, mental health issues, substance abuse, tobacco use, and obesity.

Per County Health Rankings, North Carolina 2023, Anson County, North Carolina is Metropolitan (intersecting an urban core area of 50,000 or more population). In Anson County, 78.5% of the population lives in a low population density area (500 or fewer people per square mile and less than 2,500 people).

** Data should not be compared with prior years

Source: County Health Rankings, North Carolina 2023

Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most common health problems in the United States. It is also a major problem in Anson County. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher). Some of the factors that could cause this issue relates to lack of access to exercise opportunities, limited access to healthy food, tobacco use, and consumption of sugary beverages. The Healthy North Carolina 2030 indicators include the previous factors listed.

The local hospital, Atrium Health Anson, is currently executing a program to make a positive impact on this vital issue. They are monitoring Quality Metrics at Carolinas Primary Care (the primary care office located within the hospital) and providing screenings in the community and education to the public. The overall blood pressure goal for is for 71% of Anson County residents is 140/90. Currently the percentage is at 63.8% which is 5% better than 2022. However, as evidenced by Table A and B, the county is 7.2% below goal.

TABLE A

In addition to monitoring quality metrics at Carolinas Primary Care, Atrium Health Anson’s staff is involved in community health events in the county throughout the year to provide screenings. In 2023, they screened over 1,500 residents at various public events other than the primary care setting. These events took place all over Anson County including Peachland, Morven, Burnsville, Wadesboro, Polkton, and Lilesville. Atrium also has a Mobile Primary Care Unit that is in Anson County four times a month that sees patients on a walk-in basis.

Tobacco

E-Cigarette Use and Tobacco are still a major area of concern for Anson County residents. Programs were continued in 2023 by Anson County Health Department to help aid in the prevention and management of tobacco and e cigarette use. Currently, two programs are underway along with educational resources shared during community events.

You Quit Two Quit program is designed for pregnant women that includes tobacco use screening and cessation counseling. When clients have a positive pregnancy test at Anson County Health Department, they are screened for tobacco use. If the screening is positive, the client is offered cessation counseling if they are willing to participate.

Quitline NC is being promoted and advertised by the Anson County Health Department. During various community events, information and educational resources are offered to residents and family members about smoking cessation. Anson County Health Department attends the Anson Mobile Market monthly to distribute smoking cessation materials including Quitline materials. Referrals can be made and faxed from the Health Department office as well for interested residents. During the year 2023, Quitline materials have reached over 1,880 individuals and more than 743 households.

Hypertension

Hypertension that is untreated can lead to serious damage to the heart.  Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure while many don’t even know they have it. In Anson County, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death and the second leading cause of death for those under 75 according to the County Health Rankings. The leading cause of death for those under 75 is cancer (See Table C). North Carolina’s value of percentage of adults having high blood pressure is 34.7% compared to 32.4% in the United States.  According to NC Detect, Anson County had 1,356 total cases report in 2023. Out of those 1,356 cases, 769 were women and 587 were men (See Table D).

Table C

Table D

COVID-19

The COVID-19 Pandemic continued during the year of 2023 resulting in over 8,400 total reported cases with over 100 total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. In May 2023, the national public health emergency officially ended which resulted in individual cases of COVID-19 no longer being tracked by individual health departments. Also, vaccines were required to be purchased by health care providers instead of being offered by the federal government.

Tobacco

The current adult smoking rate per County Health Rankings 2022 in Anson County is 23% compared to 17% for North Carolina. Tobacco, especially smoking and vaping, can harm almost every organ in the body. It can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer, COPD, heart disease, diabetes, etc…Tobacco not only negatively impacts the health of individuals, but it also endangers the environment. When e-cigarette and cigarette waste is not disposed of properly it can pollute water, air, and land with toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and residual nicotine. 

Source: County Health Rankings

Emerging Issues Since Last CHA

COVID-19 continued into 2023 and in May 2023 the national public health emergency ended. However, COVID-19 cases are still captured through home tests and doctor’s visits which leads to 5-day quarantine with another 5 days of mask-wearing. This in turn can affect a resident’s ability to work and financial resources. The cost of living has also significantly increased in the past 2 years.

Anson County is still suffering the effects of our local Walmart closing in 2020 that leaves only 2 grocery stores in the county for residents. This in turn leads to a lack of resources for healthy foods within the county. Some may consider us a “food desert”. Fortunately, there are multiple organizations and local churches participating in food and produce boxes for residents.

As last year, we are still experiencing high STI rates compared to the state average. Our teen pregnancy rate is still the same as last year and above the state and national average. See Table 1.0 that demonstrates the health behaviors that contribute to the overall health factor ranking in Anson County and North Carolina in 2023. See Table 2.0 that exhibits additional health behaviors that are not included on the overall health ranking.

Table 1.0

Table 2.0

Since the pandemic has officially ended, more businesses and organizations have been holding community events for residents. Anson County Health Department has been attending many of those events in efforts to provide education and materials on disease prevention and healthy lifestyles. This also includes tobacco cessation and the importance of vaccinations. Anson County Health Department also implemented sports physicals for kids to assist those that normally travel out of county to a pediatrician’s office or urgent cares to have one completed.

The CATCH Program is currently paused due to not having a full-time health educator. Interviews have been held but there has been no success in recruiting a potential candidate. Once a health educator is procured, we plan to start the CATCH Program back with the schools.

As stated above, May 2023 marked the end of the of the national public health emergency, so COVID cases are no longer tracked at the health department level unless it’s considered an outbreak in a facility such as a nursing home, correctional facilities, etc….