Benton County, Oregon
Community Health Improvement Plan
*This task received an Excellence Award
Prepared by KC
October 6, 2024
A. Summarize Benton County’s community health issues by doing the following:
,1. Describe four priority health issues in the Benton County community.
Adult obesity: Benton County has an obese population, those with a BMI of 30 or
greater, at 28% (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2024a). This is
slightly better than the state of Oregon, at 31%, yet this remains a high percentage of
the population at an increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes,
chronic inflammation, respiratory disease, and some cancers (University of Wisconsin
Population Health Institute, 2024b). These are all chronic issues that are costly to
manage and can lead to negative health outcomes, including death.
Excessive drinking: Benton County reports that 18% of the population drinks
excessively, which is slightly better than the state of Oregon at 20% (University of
Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2024c); however, excessive, or binge, drinking
increases the risk for potentially fatal outcomes, such as sudden infant death
syndrome, motor vehicle crashes, and suicide, as well as chronic issues such as heart
and liver disease, stroke, cancer, dementia, mental health problems, dementia, and
weakened immune systems (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2024), all
of which are costly to manage and produce harmful patient outcomes.
Sexually transmitted infections: Benton County had more new cases of chlamydia
reported than the state of Oregon (420.8 versus 367.3) (University of Wisconsin
Population Health Institute, 2024d), which is a major cause of tubal infertility, chronic
pelvic pain, and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. STIs also create a high
economic burden on the county, disproportionately affecting underserved
communities and minority adolescent women.
Uninsured: Benton County reports 7.6% of residents without health
insurance (IndexMundi, n.d.), compared to the national average of 8.2% in the first
quarter of 2024 (Office of Health Policy, 2024). Those who are uninsured may put off
seeking medical care until the issue becomes a crisis, resulting in a visit to the
emergency department, which creates even more cost burden than it would have to
preventatively address the health concern (Plemons, 2024). Paying out of pocket for
medical bills that patients can’t afford may result in them filing for bankruptcy, further
disrupting their families, or facing financial penalties.
2. Discuss an improvement goal (i.e., a desired health outcome) for each priority health
issue.
Adult obesity: Reduced percentage of obesity in the county over the next year.
Every obese patient seen by a healthcare provider is counseled on weight loss and
given the support they need to achieve healthy weight goals, including education
regarding risk factors that can be mitigated or avoided and proper diet, nutrition, and
exercise recommendations.
Excessive drinking: A decrease in the reported percentage of excessive drinking in
the county over the next year, and a reduction of drinking-related accidents, fatalities,
and alcohol-related illnesses and diseases.
Sexually transmitted infections: A decrease in reported cases of STIs over the
next year, supported by patient education regarding prevention and treatment.
Uninsured: Increased access to medical care over the next year by increasing the
percentage of patients covered with appropriate health insurance, whether Medicare,
, Medicaid, or a plan obtained through the Affordable Care Act.
3. Discuss how each priority health issue aligns with both state and national priorities,
as well as tribal priorities, if applicable.
State: Healthier Together Oregon: 2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan (HTO)
is Oregon’s plan for population-wide priorities and strategies to improve the health of
its residents (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
National: Healthy People 2030 (HP) is the nation’s 10-year plan to address the
country’s most critical public health challenges and priorities (U.S. Department of
Health & Human Services, n.d.b). HP includes hundreds of measurable objectives to
help communities address public health priorities.
There are no tribal considerations.
Adult obesity: This health issue aligns with HP objective NWS-03, “Reduce the
proportion of adults with obesity” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
n.d.d), and with the HTO goal to improve the community's health through strategies
that will lead to better health outcomes and to maximize collaboration for food-related
interventions and issues (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
Excessive drinking: This health issue aligns with HP objective SU-10, “Reduce the
proportion of people aged 21 years and over who engaged in binge drinking in the
past month,” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.e), and with Oregon’s
HTO objective to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state and local
prevention, treatment, and recovery of alcohol and substance abuse (Oregon Health
Authority, 2020).
Sexually transmitted infections: This health issue aligns with HP objective STI-07,
“Reduce pelvic inflammatory disease in female adolescents and young women,” (U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.c), which addresses untreated
chlamydia, and with Oregon’s HTO objective to improve sexual and reproductive
health services (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
Uninsured: This health issue aligns with HP objective AHS-01, “Increase the
proportion of people with health insurance,” (U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, n.d.-a), and with Oregon’s HTO objective to improve access to care through
supporting Medicare enrollment for older adults, healthcare payment reforms, and
increasing equitable, community-based preventative services to improve the quality
of services and interventions (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
4. Explain how you will involve stakeholders in the problem-solving process for the
outlined health issues.
Adult obesity: Primary care providers will support the problem-solving process by
providing every obese patient with individualized weight loss education and strategies
co-developed with the patient to achieve healthy weight goals. Other stakeholders to
involve are Benton County Public Health Department for community outreach
Community Health Improvement Plan
*This task received an Excellence Award
Prepared by KC
October 6, 2024
A. Summarize Benton County’s community health issues by doing the following:
,1. Describe four priority health issues in the Benton County community.
Adult obesity: Benton County has an obese population, those with a BMI of 30 or
greater, at 28% (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2024a). This is
slightly better than the state of Oregon, at 31%, yet this remains a high percentage of
the population at an increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes,
chronic inflammation, respiratory disease, and some cancers (University of Wisconsin
Population Health Institute, 2024b). These are all chronic issues that are costly to
manage and can lead to negative health outcomes, including death.
Excessive drinking: Benton County reports that 18% of the population drinks
excessively, which is slightly better than the state of Oregon at 20% (University of
Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2024c); however, excessive, or binge, drinking
increases the risk for potentially fatal outcomes, such as sudden infant death
syndrome, motor vehicle crashes, and suicide, as well as chronic issues such as heart
and liver disease, stroke, cancer, dementia, mental health problems, dementia, and
weakened immune systems (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2024), all
of which are costly to manage and produce harmful patient outcomes.
Sexually transmitted infections: Benton County had more new cases of chlamydia
reported than the state of Oregon (420.8 versus 367.3) (University of Wisconsin
Population Health Institute, 2024d), which is a major cause of tubal infertility, chronic
pelvic pain, and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. STIs also create a high
economic burden on the county, disproportionately affecting underserved
communities and minority adolescent women.
Uninsured: Benton County reports 7.6% of residents without health
insurance (IndexMundi, n.d.), compared to the national average of 8.2% in the first
quarter of 2024 (Office of Health Policy, 2024). Those who are uninsured may put off
seeking medical care until the issue becomes a crisis, resulting in a visit to the
emergency department, which creates even more cost burden than it would have to
preventatively address the health concern (Plemons, 2024). Paying out of pocket for
medical bills that patients can’t afford may result in them filing for bankruptcy, further
disrupting their families, or facing financial penalties.
2. Discuss an improvement goal (i.e., a desired health outcome) for each priority health
issue.
Adult obesity: Reduced percentage of obesity in the county over the next year.
Every obese patient seen by a healthcare provider is counseled on weight loss and
given the support they need to achieve healthy weight goals, including education
regarding risk factors that can be mitigated or avoided and proper diet, nutrition, and
exercise recommendations.
Excessive drinking: A decrease in the reported percentage of excessive drinking in
the county over the next year, and a reduction of drinking-related accidents, fatalities,
and alcohol-related illnesses and diseases.
Sexually transmitted infections: A decrease in reported cases of STIs over the
next year, supported by patient education regarding prevention and treatment.
Uninsured: Increased access to medical care over the next year by increasing the
percentage of patients covered with appropriate health insurance, whether Medicare,
, Medicaid, or a plan obtained through the Affordable Care Act.
3. Discuss how each priority health issue aligns with both state and national priorities,
as well as tribal priorities, if applicable.
State: Healthier Together Oregon: 2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan (HTO)
is Oregon’s plan for population-wide priorities and strategies to improve the health of
its residents (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
National: Healthy People 2030 (HP) is the nation’s 10-year plan to address the
country’s most critical public health challenges and priorities (U.S. Department of
Health & Human Services, n.d.b). HP includes hundreds of measurable objectives to
help communities address public health priorities.
There are no tribal considerations.
Adult obesity: This health issue aligns with HP objective NWS-03, “Reduce the
proportion of adults with obesity” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
n.d.d), and with the HTO goal to improve the community's health through strategies
that will lead to better health outcomes and to maximize collaboration for food-related
interventions and issues (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
Excessive drinking: This health issue aligns with HP objective SU-10, “Reduce the
proportion of people aged 21 years and over who engaged in binge drinking in the
past month,” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.e), and with Oregon’s
HTO objective to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state and local
prevention, treatment, and recovery of alcohol and substance abuse (Oregon Health
Authority, 2020).
Sexually transmitted infections: This health issue aligns with HP objective STI-07,
“Reduce pelvic inflammatory disease in female adolescents and young women,” (U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.c), which addresses untreated
chlamydia, and with Oregon’s HTO objective to improve sexual and reproductive
health services (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
Uninsured: This health issue aligns with HP objective AHS-01, “Increase the
proportion of people with health insurance,” (U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, n.d.-a), and with Oregon’s HTO objective to improve access to care through
supporting Medicare enrollment for older adults, healthcare payment reforms, and
increasing equitable, community-based preventative services to improve the quality
of services and interventions (Oregon Health Authority, 2020).
4. Explain how you will involve stakeholders in the problem-solving process for the
outlined health issues.
Adult obesity: Primary care providers will support the problem-solving process by
providing every obese patient with individualized weight loss education and strategies
co-developed with the patient to achieve healthy weight goals. Other stakeholders to
involve are Benton County Public Health Department for community outreach
