Public Health/Nursing
- Presentation: An exploration of health equity in Rice County
- Speakers from HealthFinders and Rice County public health gave an educational presentation about what health equity is and how it relates to Rice County’s health outcomes
- Presenters: WENDY SARA, HEALTHFINDERS COLLABORATIVE; SARA COULTER, RICE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH; MARTHA WILLIAMS, RICE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH; DAISEY SANCHEZ, HEALTHFINDERS COLLABORATIVE
- Goal of arriving at a community definition of equity
- Presentation packet is available online here: https://www.ricecountymn.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes
- Demographics
- In the 1970s, there were 41,558 white Rice County residents, 109 Black residents, and 88 residents of other racial groups. We went from 0.3% of racial/ethnic minorities to about 12% of our community in just in 50 years.
- 20% of Rice County residents identify as Black/African American, Asian or Hispanic. Only 2% own homes.
- The top five health priorities in Rice County, voted on by the community, in 2019 were all social determinants of health 1. Housing 2. Education 3. Access to Care 4. Income and Employment 5. Transportation
- 25% of WIC participants in Rice Co in 2023 were high risk due to health outcomes, comparted to 22% at the state level. Broken down by race, Black residents in Rice County are disproportionately at risk.
- Noted that this is not a biological difference, as race is a social construct. Instead, it is attributable to how Black people are treated differently in our community.
- Other examples of health inequities discussed: diabetes, maternal and infant mortality
- Disparities in rural Minnesota
- Rice County is referred to as a “large town rural area” which is differentiated from rural.
- Further travel for healthcare and specialist options – More likely to be below the state median income – Greater difficulty finding dentists accepting new patients – Almost 20% lacks internet reliable enough for telehealth visit – More likely to get health care through public sources (i.e. Medicare, Medicaid, MinnesotaCare)
- The social cost of inequity
- US health disparities: $320 billion annually MN health disparities: over 2% of the state’s GDP, about $5 billion ◦ Stress on our emergency departments and healthcare system ◦ Lost wages and productivity ◦ Waste ◦Our people aren’t as healthy as they could be
- Asks of the community
- Educate yourself and get to know your local community
- Understand that addressing Social Determinants of Health is the work of all of us
- Self-assessment
- Questions and comments
- Malecha: Thanks and great information.
- Docken: Would like to see more information about the Waterville schools where lower income students are more likely to graduate
Social Services
- Child and Family Services Unit: Providing Child Protection and Child Welfare Services to Rice County
- April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Child and Family Services Unit gave annual update on trends and services in community response happening in Rice County.
Observer left at 9:30 before all presentations were complete.
