CHIS - California Health Interview Survey
California Health Interview Survey Results
Air quality and respiratory health are among the concerns cited by residents in the northern region of Imperial County, in particular those who live closest to the Salton Sea. County Supervisors are committed to learning more about those concerns. At the recommendation of Supervisor Ryan Kelley, they supported conducting a community health survey to gather more information. To ensure the best response, Public Health and community volunteers knocked on doors to inform residents about the survey and to ensure that there was a working telephone number for contact. Thanks to the good response from survey participants, there is a baseline of data available for the region from Brawley north to the Riverside County line. This is just one of several efforts to explore and address these concerns. Other projects focus on enhanced water, air and dust monitoring, as well as asthma-related community projects that aim to improve care.
The north-end begins with Brawley and ends at the Riverside County border, and includes the cities of Westmorland, Calipatria, Niland and Salton Sea
Community Outreach
The Imperial County Public Health Department held community meetings in January 2019 to share the results of the 2016/ 2017 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) with local residents. These meetings were held in Salton City, Niland and Brawley. You can review the presentation provided to the community below.
Health Status Results
A greater percentage of north-end respondents rated their health status as excellent or very good compared to Imperial County overall. However, a higher proportion of County respondents reported their health status as poor compared to California as a whole.
Asthma Results
Asthma is a chronic (long term) condition. It cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Asthma inflames the airways of the lungs and causes recurrent wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, and tightness of the chest. While a person with asthma may sometimes not experience symptoms, other times, there may be a worsening of symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening. Periods when symptoms worsen are often referred to as asthma attacks.
A larger percentage of north-end residents reported having asthma when compared to the Imperial County and California overall.
A higher percentage of north-end residents reported having asthma attacks within the last 12 months when compared to California.
A larger percentage of adults living in the north-end needed emergency medical care due to asthma.
Air Quality Results
In 2017 additional question were added to the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) in Imperial County to better understand residents concerns about air quality and respiratory health issues.
A higher proportion of north-end residents reported moderate or no concern with the air quality when compared to Imperial County overall.
A higher percentage of north-end residents reported neighborhood air quality as good or excellent when compared to the Imperial County as a whole.
A higher proportion of north-end residents reported illness or symptoms, caused by poor air quality within the last 12 months.
A larger percentage of north-end residents reported being aware of the Air Quality Index, but a smaller proportion reported reducing and/or changing activity levels based on the index within the last 12 months compared to countywide.