Chatham County, North Carolina : a community diagnosis including secondary and qualitative data collection and analysis
Creators: name: Gagnon, Yvonne
name: Fergus, Stevenson
name: Downs, Anne
name: George, Geeta
name: Griffiths, Courtney
name: Newman, Jamie
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2000

description: The Chatham County Health Department, the United Way of Chatham County, Chatham Hospital, and six graduate students from the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UNC School of Public Health collaborated to conduct this community diagnosis of Chatham County. The purpose of this community diagnosis was to learn about the health and quality of life concerns of people across the county, and the resources and strengths that exist in the county for dealing with those concerns. The community diagnosis process used primary and secondary data to discover and analyze both the concerns and strengths of the county. Methodology Secondary data was gathered from a variety of published sources. Main sources of secondary data included area newspapers, the Chatham County Economic Development Commission Report, the North Carolina Statistical Abstract, the U.S. Census, and the North Carolina Center for Health Statistics. Primary data was gathered from focus groups and interviews with community members and service providers. The development of the interview and focus group guides, as well as the identification and recruitment of interview and focus group participants, was completed using a process of close collaboration between all members of the community assessment team. Interview and focus group guides comprised of open-ended questions were designed to facilitate discussion about thoughts and experiences of Chatham County residents and service providers. During a four-month period, the team conducted 18 focus groups and eight interviews with a total of 157 residents and/or service providers. One hundred of those participants were female and 57 were males. Eighty-nine participants were White (57%), 40 were African American (25%), and 28 were Latino (18%). Coding and data analysis began after completion of the focus groups and interviews. After reading the interview and focus group notes, the team categorized comments from the interviews and focus groups into themes. All of the comments within each specific theme then were examined together to provide a complete picture of each issue. Limitations of the Methodology Because the 1990 U.S. Census provided much of the demographic information for the secondary data section, limitations exist in describing the recent population growth in northern Chatham and in the Latino community. Since focus group and interview participants were not recruited randomly, a limitation also exists in our primary data collection. While attempts were made to maximize representativeness of the Chatham County population by seeking residents from different parts of the county, and of various ethnicities, occupations, and socioeconomic statuses, it is unclear whether the participants were representative of the Chatham County population as a whole. Findings Please see the complete document for a substantive discussion of the issues of community assets, racial and ethnic diversity, growth of the Latino population, growth in North Chatham, economic development, housing, water and sewer, transportation, day care, recreation, education, health, substance abuse, and communication, as well as for a discussion of future recommendations. Findings regarding some of the most salient issues are highlighted below. Community Assets Chatham County is a community rich with both potential and currently used resources. Residents spoke with pride about their community, mentioning many of its strengths, such as the natural beauty of the county, the diversity among county residents, a neighborly attitude, collaboration between businesses and county agencies, and the numerous leaders of the county, both formal and informal. Residents frequently cited the community’s churches as sources of support. Finally, many residents felt that Chatham is strengthened by its active volunteerism, though some also often mentioned the need to sustain and further increase the volunteer efforts within the county. Racial and Ethnic Diversity Chatham County residents discussed both the benefits of and the challenges from the increasing racial diversity resulting from the growth of the Latino population. Community members spoke of the opportunities for learning and personal growth as a result of the increasing diversity. Also noted was the increase in interracial church and civic groups within the county. However, some in the county hold concerns about the growing Latino community, as evidenced by a recent anti-immigration demonstration in Siler City. A service provider suggested that the negative perceptions about the Latino community could be changed by community leaders demonstrating accepting attitudes. Moreover, another resident felt that the acknowledgement of Latino residents’ contribution to the local economy would change negative perceptions. Housing Many county residents were concerned about the lack of quality, affordable housing within the county. While the number of housing units in Chatham County has increased, much of the new housing is beyond the financial means of many current residents. More than half (1549) of the 3067 very low-income households in the county paid more than 30% of their income for housing in 1990 (Chatham Habitat, 1999). Residents mentioned problems such as the “run-down” nature of houses, lack of heating or air conditioning, and broken plumbing. County residents of various ethnicities felt that a lack of quality housing was especially a concern for rural residents and for Latinos living in the Siler City area. Recreation The lack of adequate recreational opportunities within the county was raised in nearly every focus group and interview conducted for this community assessment. These concerns mirrored the findings of a recent survey, in which 65% of the 590 respondents characterized the recreational facilities and activities in the county as “inadequate” (Chatham County Department of Parks and Recreation, 1999). County residents perceive the lack of recreational opportunities as affecting all age groups in the county. Many residents feel that the problem especially affects county youth. Solutions proposed by community members to address the lack of recreational opportunities included increasing the amount of county funding for recreational activities, utilizing school buildings for recreational activities on the evenings and weekends, as well as applying for grants. In September of 1999, the County Board of Commissioners approved a parks and recreation master plan that addresses many of these concerns of county residents. Education The quality of education was an area of concern for many county residents. Secondary data from the Department of Public Instruction (1998) affirms these concerns, showing that the average Chatham County SAT score (973) is lower than the state average (982). Moreover, residents noted that disparities in quality exist among the schools within the county, stating that schools in Moncure and Siler City have many needs. Some residents feel that the school system should improve its ability to recruit and retain good teachers. Community members, especially Latino community members, were also concerned about the lack of English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers within the district. According to community residents, a result of the growing student population is that the schools are unable to maintain the quality of education they offer, and this, in turn, impedes future growth in the county. Health The health problems most often cited as concerns by the community were not the leading causes of mortality in Chatham County, which are heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease. Rather, residents were most often concerned about dental care, diabetes, and sexually transmitted diseases. A common sentiment expressed by a wide range of county residents was the need for additional health education and preventative health care. The barriers to accessing health care commonly mentioned by residents were a lack of transportation and inadequate financial resources. Residents suggested sliding scale clinics and the ability to pay for medical care incrementally as ways to overcome the financial barriers. Economic Development Many Chatham County residents expressed a wide variety of often-conflicting ideas for methods to increase economic development in the county. However, most Chatham County residents agreed that increasing the number of businesses and employment opportunities within the county was critical to the future of Chatham. Some residents felt that increased employment opportunities within the county were necessary for current residents to have the ability to work without commuting out of the county. Increased employment opportunities were also considered necessary for Chatham’s youth to have the capability in the future to stay, work, and live in the county. Moreover, residents stated that strengthening Chatham’s economy was necessary to increase the tax base within the county. Recommendations Chatham County residents have many recommendations for the future of the county. One of the most critical recommendations mentioned by many residents is the need for increased communication within the county. Many residents feel that the current lack of communication within the county contributes to many of the concerns discussed above. Currently, residents do not all rely on a single news medium, causing difficulties in communication between different parts of the county. Moreover, many residents felt that the county lacked spaces such as community centers where different groups could interact, further inhibiting communication between different groups within the county. The lack of communication can be addressed on many levels. At the policy level, county government could work to develop a method to increase communication across the county, as well as to provide funding for spaces in the community that would encourage communication between different groups. At the community level, residents could collaborate with county officials to create these spaces and to encourage the various communities within Chatham to continue current discussions as well as engage in future discussions.