2022 SOTCH Report
Progress on CHIPs
For progress on CHIPs, please see the "updates" note tab for each program/ strategy:
Cancer:
Chronic Disease:
Access:
Morbidity and Mortality Changes Since Last CHA
The following represent significant morbidity and mortality changes in our community.
Cherokee County- 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Cherokee County, according to the 2022 Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings, is positioned at 73 out of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Cherokee County is also represented in the lower range of counties (25-50%) in both the health outcomes and health factors measures.
NC Opioid Dashboard DATA HERE
Cherokee County's rate of overdose deaths in 2021 was at a record high for the county at 21 overdose deaths which equates to 73.4 overdose deaths per 100,000 residents. This rate is significantly higher than the NC rate in the same year, 31.5 overdose deaths per 100,000 residents. However, there were only 10 overdose deaths in CherokeeCounty in 2022 lowering the rate from the previous year where in Cherokee County there were 21 overdose deaths.
Fifteen Leading Causes of Death
(Age-Adjusted Death Rates per 100,000 Population, Single 5-Yr Aggrigate, 2016-2020)
| Rank | Cause of Death | Cherokee | |
| # Deaths | Death Rate | ||
| 1 | Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome | 2 | |
| 2 | All Other Unintentional Injuries | 74 | 51.4 |
| 3 | Alzheimer's disease | 75 | 27.2 |
| 4 | Cancer | 430 | 156.3 |
| 5 | Cerebrovascular Disease | 85 | 30.1 |
| 6 | Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis | 39 | 16.3 |
| 7 | Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases | 132 | 45.6 |
| 8 | COVID-19 | 28 | 11.0 |
| 9 | Diabetes Mellitus | 40 | 16.3 |
| 10 | Diseases of Heart | 482 | 186.2 |
| 11 | Homicide | 6 | |
| 12 | Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome, and Nephrosis | 46 | 16.1 |
| 13 | Pneumonia and Influenza | 33 | 13.1 |
| 14 | Septicemia | 35 | 12.3 |
| 15 | Suicide | 38 | 22.0 |
| 16 | Unintentional Motor Vehicle Injuries | 34 | 23.4 |
| All Causes (some not listed) | 1,993 | 811.2 | |
While there are some minor fluctuations between rankings of the leading causes of death in Cherokee County there are no sinificant differences when compared to the previous chart covering 2015-2019.
*One notable difference to note on the current table is the first appearance of COVID-19 as a leading cause of death. *
Emerging Issues Since Last CHA
These are the new or emerging issues in our community in 2022 that were not identified as priorities in our CHA.
- Affordable housing
- Long-term rental availability
- Economic inflation
- Affordable Childcare
- Increase in Meth
- Homelessness
- Transportation
- Senior Services
- Recruitment of a new provider at the Health Department for Fall 2023
- Covid/Flu/RSV trifecta
New/Paused/Discontinued Initiatives Since Last CHA
- Discontinuation of BCCCP program Fall 2023.
- Loss of Medication Assistance Program due to funding Fall 2023
- Retirement of Medical Director/Provider from CCHD Fall 2023
- Expansion of Harris Cherokee Valley River Casino 2023/2024
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