Chase Reece, BSHP '24

While in the office today, I finalized the statistics for the presentation and then worked on developing a draft of the presentation. The last of the statistics that I collected focused on county health rankings for Pulaski County. Overall, these rankings showed that Pulaski County is behind both state and national averages for the majority of health statistics. For example, Pulaski County has higher rates of alcohol-impaired driving deaths, low birthweight, and percentage of population with poor or fair health. Additionally, they have a lower rate of mammography screenings and less per capita mental healthcare providers. These statistics highlight the health disparities present in rural areas, and unfortunately, they are not unique to Pulaski County. Lower economic and community development is common in rural areas and directly impacts the health of the population, which can be seen through these health statistics. Overall, these findings will be emphasized and shared with the Pulaski Archway Executive Committee to facilitate discussion and highlight potential areas to focus on in future projects.