Desert Messenger

March 6, 2013

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Page 24 www.DesertMessenger.com Healthy La Paz survey results Parker, AZ La Paz County Health Department is launched Health LA PAZ: a community coalition that focuses on improved health in La Paz County to look at: La Paz County���s health, Strengths and Weaknesses, Areas of Health Improvement, and Resources for Health. The Healthy LA PAZ Steering Committee, the La Paz County Health Department (LPCHD) Core Support Group, and additional leadership from key community sectors attended a ���Forces of Change��� brainstorming meeting in September, 2012. The goal of the meeting was to identify forces ��� such as trends, factors or events ��� that in���uence or may, in the future, in���uence La Paz County���s local public health system or residents��� health. The Healthy LA PAZ project���s Community Themes and Strengths Assessment (CTSA) is named ���Voices of the Community��� because, in large part, this assessment asks the people in our communities to tell their stories in words, in data and in pictures. ���Voices of the Community��� concerns itself with the following questions: ��� What matters to people in our communities, and what factors do they think will most help us to realize the vision of a Healthy LA PAZ? ��� How do community members perceive their quality of life and their environment (in the county as a whole and in our incorporated towns and CensusDesignated Places)? To answer these questions, the LPCHD Core Support Group created an online Quality of Life Survey in September, 2012 and promoted it widely throughout the county. Survey participation was widespread, with fully 1.1% of La Paz County���s total resident population responding online. Two hundred forty six (246) persons answered the survey, of which only 18 self reported as out of county residents, mostly from counties adjacent to La Paz in Arizona or just across the Colorado River in California. The majority of survey respondents came from the Town of Parker, but people from other areas of the county also participated (Bouse, California areas, Parker Strip, Parker Valley/Poston/Ehrenberg, and Quartzsite). No residents from Salome/Wenden or Brenda participated in the survey, despite LPCHD���s promotional campaigns. WE���RE BACK @ Main St. Laundromat Wash the dog, & the clothes! HOLLYWOOD PETS Mobile Grooming Professionally groomed by Robin Barbour Award winning groomer! 23 years experience! Desert Messenger E-edition www.MyQuartzsite.com Zumba Jan is Back! Come join the fun! Fitness for Seniors and De-conditioned Jan, & Eileen, are back to make your experience fun and rewarding! Gain balance, strength, lose weight and meet lots of new people. Pamper your pet in our state-of-the-art fully mobile grooming parlor CLASSES run through March Monday & Wednesday 9 a.m. & 4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. All CLASSES held at new Community Center - Quail Trail and Chandler Best Rates in Town! $3 DROP IN FEE ANYTIME Contact Zumba Jan with questions: 218-426-5317 515-418-0442 March 6, 2013 The Three Most Important Factors for a ���Healthy LA PAZ��� County wide, survey respondents ranked the three most important factors for a healthy community as follows (in descending order starting with the top ranked factor): 1. Low crime/safe neighborhoods (44.3%) 2. Good jobs and healthy economy (43.9%) 3. Good schools (32.5%) Note: ���Good place to raise children��� and ���Access to health care (family doctor)��� rated as the 4th and 5th most important factors for a healthy community, according to the county wide survey. The Three Most Important Health Problems Survey respondents consider the following to be the top three health problems in the community: 1. Diabetes (41.6%) 2. Domestic violence (36.9%) 3. Child abuse/neglect (34.8%) The Three Most Important Risky Behaviors According to people surveyed, the three most important risky behaviors in the community are as follows, in descending order: 1. Alcohol abuse (76.5%) 2. Drug abuse (68.4%) 3. Being overweight (41.9%) The above is just a small amount of information gathered by the Healthy La Paz team. If you would like to participate in future meetings to bene���t the health of La Paz County, please attend the next meeting which will be held on Monday, March 25th from 2:00 ��� 4:00 PM at the Board of Supervisors room in Parker, AZ. Contact Melanie Sarino at (928) 669-9364. Or Email: msarino@co.la-paz.az.us. Visit Healthy LA PAZ (www.lpchd.com) Domestic violence high concern in county WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline; Domestic violence can be de���ned as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that in���uence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone. Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE 800-799-SAFE

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