Snohomish County scores ‘C-’ in annual health survey

EVERETT — Snohomish County residents are a bit healthier, but also a bit lonelier, according to an annual survey.

Public health is trending up for the first time since 2021, based on results from the Countywide Health and Well-being Monitor released this week. The annual survey scores residents on six aspects of health: physical, emotional, social, financial, environmental and personal growth.

Snohomish County earned a “C-” for overall health and wellness, an improvement from the past four years. Last year, the county earned a D+.

But this year, the lowest scores were about feeling a sense of belonging.

“More power is being felt within individual action versus being able to impact community change,” said Jessica Burt, community health director for the Providence Institute for a Healthier Community.

For almost a decade, the institute has conducted the survey to inform countywide health care efforts and Providence Swedish policies. The institute also performs health education outreach and hosts an online hub of local resources.

On Tuesday, Burt presented the report at the annual Edge of Amazing event in Everett. Initially a launching pad for the institute, the event is a platform for information, networking and collaboration across the health care industry.

The institute mails the survey to a random sample of the county’s nearly 830,000 residents. This year, 686 people responded.

The past two years, the survey showed polarized results. Last year, 20% of residents were “struggling,” or provided all low scores. This year, 12% of residents were struggling. And last year, 14% were flourishing, compared to 9% now. Most respondents for the latest survey were somewhere in the middle, with mixed scores for their health.

That meant fewer residents were struggling, but fewer were flourishing as well.

Residents improved their exercise and nutrition habits. Their emotional health, including have a sense of purpose and meaning, also progressed.

But over 60% reported relationship dissatisfaction, an increase from last year. They also reported a wider gap between self-sufficiency and the belief they can impact their community, with 64% rating community efficacy as low. Overall, they felt more confident in themselves than the idea of widespread community change.

And this year, fewer respondents said Snohomish County was a good place to grow old.

Public health institutions “don’t have a good track record” for facilitating a sense of community, county Health Director Dennis Worsham said. In the past, he said, institutions have disregarded how social and emotional connection plays a role in health care.

“We love science and data,” he said. “But that’s just one part of the story.”

He’s working to create more inclusive language, including affirmations, in local public health outreach. And when the health department does use data, he said, the goal is to avoid comparing marginalized groups to an overwhelmingly white population.

“When we do that, we’re already beginning the journey of othering,” Worsham said.

The institute invites neighborhoods to host their own surveys. So far, it has formed a “community Mental Health Plan” with Stanwood and Camano Island residents. In the Stillaguamish Valley, it’s worked to enhance health care access and “feelings of belonging,” according to the institute’s case study. It also partnered with Housing Hope to combat school truancy, a symptom of homelessness that hampers kids’ social connections.

“It’s not just about inviting people to the table,” Worsham said. “It’s about creating new tables.”

Sydney Jackson: 425-339-3430; sydney.jackson@heraldnet.com; X: @_sydneyajackson.