Newsworthy

The job of public health officials is to monitor the health and well-being of communities. Sometimes routine assessment of the data prompts a deeper dive into issues of potential concern to the community, and sometimes policymakers and public health partners ask for more information on a topic. Emerging trends or items of interest can be found here. Check back frequently to see what’s catching public attention.

Newsworthy Items

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Leading Causes of Death 2021

There were 5,869 deaths in 2021 among Spokane County residents. The leading causes of death remain as cancer and heart disease. COVID-19 emerged as the third leading cause of death. Click "Read More" to learn more about the leading causes of death in Spokane County.

Sleep Study

We present findings from the House of Charity Sleep Health Needs Assessment. In partnership with Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and the WSU College of Nursing, the Data Center surveyed 70 men experiencing homelessness who were staying at House of Charity. Pen and paper surveys were collected in-person from October to November 2022. The goal of the survey was to identify the sleep-related health needs of men experiencing homelessness at HOC, the factors impacting the quality of their sleep, and consequences of poor sleep on respondents’ daily functioning and mood. Click read more.

Opioid Overdoses and Use

In Spokane County, number of opioid overdose deaths doubled from 2020 to 2021. To learn more about the trend of opioid hospitalizations and youth use in Spokane County, click "Read More."