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- On an annual basis, 35.7% of Chatham residents (15,206) have no health insurance or are “at risk” for inadequate health insurance (defined as having no insurance during part of the year or being underinsured).
- When looking at insurance for Chatham’s poor, fully 60% are “at risk” for inadequate health insurance.
- These insurance figures do not include the recently immigrated Latino population in the county who predominantly work in low-wage jobs with varying insurance coverage, and who may or may not choose to select an insurance benefit due to unfamiliarity with the US health care system. Additionally, an imminent impact of welfare reform will be the cessation of Medicaid benefits to legal immigrants in August,1997. All these factors increase the proportion of Chatham residents who do not have adequate insurance coverage and access to health care.
- 1988 data show that the percent of children (ages 0-4) without medical insurance in Chatham is lower than the state average (7.6% in Chatham vs. the state average of 13.7%).
- While Chatham has been defined as a Health Manpower Shortage Area, denoting it is as a medically underserved area, this status is predicted to change with the next assessment.
- Chatham County presently has no in-county obstetrics specialist. EMS sources describe the frequent use of their services to transport women out of county for labor and delivery.
- Many residents and professionals describe limited access to mental health, dental health, OB, in-home care, quality nursing homes, and lifestyle prevention services (physical activity, nutrition, stop-smoking) in Chatham County.
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