C.A.R.E. Holds Town Hall on County Health

The Valley County C.A.R.E. coalition recently held a townhall meeting at the hospital to discuss the results of a survey they conducted this April. The survey was conducted with the purpose of asking questions about healthcare and how to improve access to it, as well as other questions about our general wellbeing. The survey was administered to a sample population, which means citizens were selected at random to participate in order to better represent the community of Valley County as a whole.

The results of the oral health section of the survey showed that people were either not very concerned with seeing a dentist or access to an affordable dentist was not always readily available. Since the time the survey was constructed, a second dental practice has opened in Glasgow. While the appearance of Budde Dentistry may help alleviate the concerns of some local residents, the results of the survey cite cost and lack of dental insurance as the number one obstacle to care.

Along with concerns about care related to mental health, access to exercise was also included in the questions given by survey providers. Some of those questioned were unable to exercise due to health conditions. For those who were physically active, the top responses indicate that more parks, trails and improved sidewalks would help people to be more active, followed closely by access to a gym.

For more information about about the C.A.R.E. survey, contact Connie Boreson at 228-6261.