During a Thursday presentation, Healthy Tusc revealed results from a community healthy needs assessment filled in by youth and adults.
The last survey, conducted in 2021, compared to the latest numbers, from 700 respondents, show improvements in some areas but declines in others.
Chair Jennifer Demuth said adult alcohol use is up.
“Twenty-one percent reported being binge drinkers. That’s up from 17-percent from 2021. Binge drinking is five or more drinks on an occasion for a male, or four or more drinks on an occasion for a female.”
Youth numbers, based on five of eight schools, showed five percent having one drink within the past 30 days and 3-percent reported being binge drinkers.
Demuth noted mental health is a major concern.
“Nearly 1 in 4, of our middle and high school students, which is over 1,141 students, felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row. In the past 12-months, 4-percent attempted suicide and 10-percent considered attempting suicide.”
From adult data, 1 in 4 felt sad or hopeless almost every day.
Meanwhile, a number that improved, by 1-percent from the previous survey, relates to tobacco use.
“Fifteen percent reported they smoke on some or all days of the week. Doing the math that comes out to about 10,652 Tuscarawas County adults who reported smoking regularly. Nine percent, or about 6,391 county adults, reported using electronic vapor products some or all days.”
Overdose statistics, as of October 30, 2024, showed 163 overdoses in Tuscarawas County, 17 were fatal.
“Where those overdose emergency calls took place, the majority took place in New Philadelphia about 50-percent, Uhrichsville at 16-percent, Dover at 14-percent, and Strasburg at 7-precent, and the communities with lesser percentages are not listed.”
In other youth numbers, 40% considered themselves as being overweight or obese and about 34% get 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Other results were adult obesity rates at 49% and 74% indicated they were diagnosed with a health condition, the top reported was high blood pressure.
According to the Ohio Wellbeing Dashboard, published in October 2024, Tuscarawas County is one of 26 of the state’s 88 counties, having two or three poverty indicators: specifically, poverty rate, free and reduced lunch rate, and graduation rate.
The next step for Healthy Tusc is to release the survey data, which can be used to bring community awareness but also help organizations go after grants to improve the health and wellness of residents.
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