Access to care includes having health insurance coverage, transportation, as well as available physicians and providers. Our survey captured responses from participants including having a primary care physician (PCP) and preventative care sought in the last 12 months.
Carroll County
Primary Care Physician
Nearly 23% of respondents in Carroll County report not having a Primary Care physician (PCP). Less than 7% of respondents indicated a need for assistance in finding a PCP.
Preventive Care
Preventative care is essential in preventing disease as well as for early identification and treatment of malignancies. In recent years, the recommendations for breast, cervical, and colon cancer screenings have changed. Currently, per the American Cancer Society’s recommendations, mammography for breast cancer screenings is recommended for all women aged 40-44 annually, older than 45 every other year until aged 55 then every two years. Prostate exams are recommended for men beginning at age 50 and as based on risk and can be done via a simple blood test that checks for PSA levels. Cervical screenings/Pap Smears are recommended for all women aged 21-30 every 3 years, and every 5 years for women aged 30-65. Considering these screenings are not recommended every year, low reported numbers of these tests by age group or as a cumulative total population is not indicative of a failure to seek appropriate preventative care and should not be utilized to gauge the lack of appropriate preventive care.
Immunizations are the most effective means to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. Of those surveyed, less than half of all age groups except those over age 65 received a flu vaccine in the last 12 months. An average of 15% of respondents reported receiving a HEP A vaccine in the last twelve months, with those aged 40-54 at more than 22%. As this is not an annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last 12 months.
Respondents aged 65 and over, report 30% received a pneumococcal vaccine in the last 12 months. CDC recommends all persons aged 65 and over receive a pneumococcal vaccine and persons aged 2 to 64 with certain medical conditions. As the pneumococcal vaccine is not an annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percentage of the population immunized, but rather the percentage that received a vaccine within the last twelve months.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is a necessary component of healthcare in the United States. The cost of health services is often prohibitive for those lacking health insurance coverage and results in failure to seek both preventive care and treatment when needed. More than 11% of Carroll County respondents indicate not having health insurance coverage. Of those, more than half are aged 26-39 years followed by nearly 39% aged 40-54.
Dental and Vision
Regular dental hygiene and vision care are linked with improved health outcomes and lower morbidity among persons seeking and obtaining such care. Oral health directly affects speech, consumption, and absorption of nutrients, taste, smell, and one’s emotional health through the ability to make facial expressions to show feelings and emotions4. Indirectly, oral health may contribute to various diseases such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, as well as pregnancy and birth-related complications5.  The standard recommendation includes one dental visit every six months. More than a third of Carroll County respondents indicate their last visit with the dentist was more than a year ago at 34%. Another 4.9% indicate they have never seen a dentist and nearly 44% saw their dentist within the last six months. Of those responding to the question, more than a third indicate having dental problems, at 34.9%.
Regular vision care is critical for the early detection of common eye diseases that cause and contribute to vision loss and blindness. Such conditions and diseases include cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Nearly half of those responding have seen an eye doctor within the last 6-12 months. Of those indicating having a vision problem, 42.4% have not been to see an eye doctor in the last 12 months and 6.5% have never seen an eye doctor.
Gallatin County
Primary Care Physician
A total of 27% of respondents in Gallatin County report not having a Primary Care physician (PCP). Less than 5% of respondents indicated a need for assistance in finding a PCP.
Preventative Care
Considering that the frequency of preventative screenings is not recommended yearly, low reported numbers of these tests by age group or as a cumulative total population are not indicative of a failure to seek appropriate preventative care and should not be utilized to gauge the lack of appropriate preventive care.
Of those surveyed, less than 40% of those age groups between 26 and 54 received a flu vaccine in the last 12 months. An average of less than 15% of respondents reported receiving a HEP A vaccine in the last twelve months, with those aged 55-65 at more than 17.7%. As this is not an annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last 12 months.
Respondents aged 65 and over, report less than 30% received a pneumococcal vaccine in the last 12 months. CDC recommends all persons aged 65 and over receive a pneumococcal vaccine and persons aged 2 to 64 with certain medial conditions. As the pneumococcal vaccine is not annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last twelve months.
Health Insurance
Nearly 9% of Gallatin County respondents indicate not having health insurance coverage. Of those, more than half are aged 26-39 years followed by nearly 24% aged 40-54.
Dental and Vision
Forty percent of Gallatin County respondents indicate their last visit with the dentist was more than a year ago. Another 2.4% indicate they have never seen a dentist and more than 41% saw their dentist within the last six months. Of those responding to the question, more than a quarter indicate having dental problems, at 26.7%.
More than half of those responding have seen an eye doctor within the last 6-12 months, 56%. Of those indicating having a vision problem, 39.2% have not been to see an eye doctor in the last 12 months and 2.6% have never seen an eye doctor.
Owen County
Primary Care Physician
A total of 22% of respondents in Owen County report not having a Primary Care physician (PCP). Less than 2% of respondents indicated a need for assistance in finding a PCP.
Preventative Care
Considering that the frequency of preventative screenings is not recommended every year, low reported numbers of these tests by age group or as a cumulative total population are not indicative of a failure to seek appropriate preventative care and should not be utilized to gauge the lack of appropriate preventive care.
Of those surveyed, less than half of those aged 65+ received a flu vaccine in the last 12 months. An average of nearly 34% of respondents reported receiving a HEP A vaccine in the last twelve months, with those aged 65+ at less than 30%. As this is not an annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last 12 months.
Respondents aged 65 and over, report less than 30% received a pneumococcal vaccine in the last 12 months. CDC recommends all persons aged 65 and over receive a pneumococcal vaccine and persons aged 2 to 64 with certain medial conditions. As the pneumococcal vaccine is not annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last twelve months.
Health Insurance
A mere 2% of Owen County respondents indicate not having health insurance coverage. Of those, the majority are aged 26-54 years followed by nearly 15% aged 55-65.
Dental and Vision
Nearly 30% of Owen County respondents indicate their last visit with the dentist was more than a year ago. One percent indicate they have never seen a dentist and more than 52% saw their dentist within the last six months. Of those responding to the question, less than 18% indicate having dental problems.
More than half of those responding have seen an eye doctor within the last 6-12 months, 62%. Of those indicating having a vision problem, nearly 12% have not been to see an eye doctor in the last 12 months and more than 1% have never seen an eye doctor.
Pendleton County
Primary Care Physician
A total of 29% of respondents in Pendleton County report not having a Primary Care physician (PCP). Less than 4% of respondents indicated a need for assistance in finding a PCP.
Preventative Care
Considering that the frequency of preventative screenings is not recommended yearly, low reported numbers of these tests by age group or as a cumulative total population are not indicative of a failure to seek appropriate preventative care and should not be utilized to gauge the lack of appropriate preventive care.
Of those surveyed, more than 72% of those aged 65+ received a flu vaccine in the last 12 months. An average of more than 44% of respondents reported receiving a HEP A vaccine in the last twelve months, with those aged 65+ responding with the highest immunization rate at 30.3%. As this is not an annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last 12 months.
Respondents aged 65 and over, report less than 30% received a pneumococcal vaccine in the last 12 months. CDC recommends all persons aged 65 and over receive a pneumococcal vaccine and persons aged 2 to 64 with certain medial conditions. As the pneumococcal vaccine is not annual vaccine, rates are not indicative of the percent of the population immunized, but rather the percent that received a vaccine within the last twelve months.
Health Insurance
Nearly 8% of Pendleton County respondents indicate not having health insurance coverage. Of those, more than half are aged 26-39 years followed by those aged 40-54 at 15.4%.
Dental and Vision
More than 3% of Pendleton County respondents indicate their last visit with the dentist was more than a year ago. Less than 3% indicate they have never seen a dentist and more than 43% saw their dentist within the last six months. Of those responding to the question, nearly a third indicate having dental problems, at 32.3%.
More than half of those responding have seen an eye doctor within the last 6-12 months, 61%. Of those indicating having a vision problem, more than 34% have not been to see an eye doctor in the last 12 months and more than 5% have never seen an eye doctor.
