Regional health survey finds food, housing and care access concerns

The Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization has released results from its 11th annual Community Health Survey, which collected responses from 2,129 adults in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. The survey examined food security, housing stability, chronic conditions, health care access and other health concerns.

The organization reported that 84% of respondents ages 45 to 75 had received colorectal cancer screening, while 85% of women ages 40 to 75 reported having a mammogram within the previous two years. The survey also found that just over one in five residents had eaten less or skipped meals because they lacked money for food, and about two-thirds of adults reported at least one chronic condition.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said they had difficulty accessing local health care during the past year. Long wait times were the most frequently reported barrier, followed by a lack of providers and the cost of care.