PORT ANGELES — The health of Clallam County will be discussed at a community forum at Peninsula College on Wednesday.
The Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services and the League of Women Voters of Clallam County are sponsoring the free event, which is set for 7 p.m. at Maier Hall.
The forum will center around the health of the community, what’s changing and future priorities for improving community health.
Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, will discuss how community health measures are being used to evaluate the performance of the health care system.
Beth Lipton, epidemiologist for the Kitsap Public Health District, will present updated indicators on Clallam County health and address a range of health issues.
Locke and Lipton will participate in a question-and-answer session after their remarks.
The county health department said the forum will address the following indicators:
— 19.3 percent of pregnant women in Clallam County smoke.
The rate has decreased since 1990 but remains well above the state rate of 9.7 percent.
— The rate of opioid-related hospitalizations is 31 per 100,000 in Clallam County, compared with 21.8 for the state.
Opiate-related deaths between 2008 and 2010 was 20.7 per 100,000 in Clallam County and 10.0 percent for the state.
— About 15 percent of the Clallam County population is living in poverty. For children, the rate is 23.6 percent.
The forum will help the county develop a 2012 Community Health Report Card.
For more information, phone Clallam County Health and Human Services Director Iva Burks at 360-417-2329 or email iburks@co.clallam.wa.us.