EVERETT — Less than half of Snohomish County residents say their overall health and well-being is good or at least moderate.
That is one finding from an annual study scheduled to be released Wednesday by the Providence Institute for a Healthier Community, or PIHC. Launched in 2016, the institute’s Health and Well-Being Monitor seeks to gauge overall health by asking questions about six different areas: relationships, security, physical health, work and growth, neighborhood and environment, and mental and emotional health.
This year, about 700 people participated in the survey, PIHC executive director Scott Forslund said. Of those, only 49% reported positive health, a 6% drop from 2017.
Lower health scores often are due to a lack of exercise, sleep and proper diet, education, spirituality, financial security, access to health care and a sense of belonging in their community, Forslund said.
The effects are tangible. Those surveyed reported an average of about four debilitating health days per month, a 24% increase from 2017. Debilitating is defined as when someone’s poor physical or mental health prevents them from performing daily tasks.
Trends that contributed to better health include feeling a higher sense of purpose and meaning, low unemployment, financial security and optimism. Additionally, Forslund said people are starting to better understand the importance of mental health.
“The overall state of well-being is moderate to good, and there are elements to be very optimistic about,” Forslund said. “At the same time, we’re seeing some cautionary trends over just the past two years with some clear evidence that winners and losers are being created.”
“I think we’re starting to look at a more complete picture,” he said.
This year, for the first time, the survey included questions about homelessness and opioid abuse. Both are increasingly on the minds of county residents, the study found.
More than in any other city in the county, Everett residents said homelessness was a major problem in their neighborhoods. At the same time, participants who said homelessness was affecting their community also reported lower personal health and well-being scores than those who said they didn’t encounter the issue locally.
In a statement, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said housing and addressing homelessness are a top priority for her administration.
“We are working hard to expand housing and help connect our homeless residents with treatment, shelter and other supporting services,” she said. “We also have a strong focus on enforcement. It’s this balanced combination of outreach and enforcement that creates pathways to health, stability and safety for all of our residents.”
In Monroe, 44% of participants said the opioid issue was a crisis in their town, compared to 26% countywide.
“The survey underscores the issue is not just a Seattle issue, it’s one that smaller communities are dealing with and we need help addressing those issues just like the big cities do,” Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas said.
While the city is thankful for partnerships with the county, nonprofits and the hospital district, jurisdictions across Washington are looking to the state government to help solve the regional opioid issue, both with changes in law and budget priorities, Thomas said.
“We need to make certain that when people want help, that there isn’t a line out the door for facilities and programs to get them the help they need,” he said.
Overall, half of participants countywide said they know someone affected by opioid abuse.
Discrimination is another issue becoming more prevalent in the county, according to the study. In both the 2016 and 2017 surveys, about 12% of participants said they experienced prejudice. That number more than doubled to 26% in 2018 and remained there in 2019.
Of those reporting discrimination, about one quarter said the frequency of prejudice is increasing. And people of color and those who speak English as a second language are increasingly reporting bias incidents.
Outside of the Health and Well-Being Monitor, the PIHC helps administer more specific surveys with other organizations like the Everett Housing Authority, Snohomish County NAACP and United Way.
In the northern part of the county, the PIHC is working with the cities of Arlington and Darrington, as well as school and hospital districts, to create a “North Star” study to assess the needs of what Forslund calls “a fast-growing area of our county that hasn’t had such an identity in the past.”
“We’re helping prioritize what will best work for them,” Forslund said.
Joey Thompson: 425-339-3449; jthompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.
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