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Thurston County, Washington

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.

Public Health and Social Services

Picture of health data, visualizations, reports, plans, and presentations

The Assessment and Evaluation team works to develop a comprehensive understanding of health in our community and translate data into action. Our team of epidemiologists collect, analyze, interpret, and disseminate various types of health data, visualizations, reports, plans, and presentations to community partners, decision-makers, and the public.

Data provides information about the health of a community. It can be used as a tool to:

  • Identify and prioritize needs
  • Make data-informed decisions
  • Plan and evaluate programs
  • Develop and implement policies
  • Demonstrate a need for funding
  • Inform the community about local health issues

Many things affect the health of a community. Health data topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Access to care
  • Affordable housing
  • Demographics
  • Health equity
  • Income and education
  • Leading causes of death and hospitalization
  • Maternal and child health
  • Mental health
  • Racism and discrimination
  • Substance use

Health data is gathered through in-house data collection, as well as through analysis of existing data sources available, such as:

  • Vital records
  • Population surveys
  • Information systems

Data storytelling is the process of transforming complex data into simplified narratives and visualizations that communicate context, insight, and interpretation. Below are health-related data stories made by the Assessment and Evaluation team:

County Health Rankings and Roadmaps have released the 2024 County Health Rankings, which provide an annual snapshot of the health of the nation’s counties. Thurston County is faring about the same as the average county in Washington for Health Outcomes, and better than the average county in the nation. Thurston County is faring worse than the average county in Washington for Health Factors, and better than the average county in the nation. Explore the health outcomes and health factors of Thurston County and see how other counties compare at www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/washington/thurston?year=2024, or view the summary report put together by our team titled County Health Rankings 2024 Data Release for Thurston County and Washington State.

Health Outcomes

2024 Thurston County Health Outcomes

Health Factors

2024 Thurston County Health Factors

 

Explore data products created by Washington State Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other organizations below.

To make a data request, or to obtain copies of previous health data, visualizations, reports, plans, or presentations, contact the Assessment and Evaluation team at phss_data@co.thurston.wa.us.

Community Health Assessment

A Community Health Assessment (CHA) is a collection and review of health data used to illustrate the current health status of a community and monitor its progress over time. It is a critical step in defining the vision for health in a community so that targeted health improvement efforts can be selected to affect policies, dismantle health disparities, and promote collective impact in our community. A Thurston County CHA will be conducted, and the findings will be used to identify the health priorities of focus for a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

Hospitals recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity conduct similar assessments called Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) and adopt an implementation strategy to meet the community health needs identified through their CHNA. In Thurston County, there are two nonprofit hospital systems. Their reports are linked below.

Contact our Assessment and Evaluation team at phss_data@co.thurston.wa.us if you have additional questions.