By JC Medina
The Thurston County Board of Health officially approved its inaugural Journey to Health Equity report, a comprehensive analysis of health disparities across income, race, geography and identity in the county.
Approved unanimously during the board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, May 13, the report is now available to the public at the board's
web page.
The report presents a wide range of data on financial hardship, housing burden, health insurance coverage, birth outcome and educational disparities.
According to Public Health and Social Services staff, the report is intended not only to inform policy and legislative decisions, but also to guide community organizations in addressing long-standing inequities.
The document found that 31% of households in Thurston County face financial hardship and that disparities persist across multiple domains, including income, housing, education and access to health care.
For instance, the report notes that American Indian/Alaska Native children are three times more likely to live in poverty than the overall child population.
It also reveals that non-Hispanic Black mothers in the county have the highest rates of premature birth and low birth weight.
Commissioner Carolina Mejia praised the report’s relevance and community interest, sharing feedback from a recent DEI summit.
“Me and Commissioner Menser attended the Thurston Forward, which was a DEI summit that happened this Saturday, and health equity was one of the items that was covered,” Mejia said.
“I got approached by members — and I'm also a member of the NAACP — and they were asking, like, 'When is this report going to come out?' Because they want to build their data upon the data that we're building.”
As part of the next steps, the county plans to launch a communication plan that includes a social media rollout and a press release.
Staff will also provide talking points for stakeholders to ensure consistent messaging when discussing the report publicly.
The report concludes with strategies for advancing health equity in Thurston County, such as engaging the public, promoting health literacy and reducing systemic barriers.
The health board intends to update it annually to reflect progress and evolving community needs.
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