Health Department Unveils Survey; 2022 Drug Overdose Data

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Health Department has released their 2023 Community Health Survey.

The survey gives residents of Hamilton County a chance to give their opinions on the state of their communities.

It asks participants their activity level, health history, and what concerns them the most about their communities.

It is a completely anonymous survey that health officials hope gives them a clearer picture of what public health priorities should be in the coming years.

Sabrina Novak, an Administrator for the Hamilton County Health Department, said, “Is there transportation issues that are a barrier? Do you not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables? Every individual has a different barrier associated with their lives, and so we want to hear from all of our neighbors in Hamilton County to get feedback from you as individuals to see what that need is. ”

The survey can be taken online or in person at any county health clinic.

Also, today we had a closer look at drug overdose statistics over the past year.

The flyer for the Hamilton County Health Department’s 2023 survey.

Data from the Health Department shows there were 226 overdoses last year.

73% of those overdoses were due to fentanyl, two-thirds of victims were males, and 83% of victims were Caucasian.

The data includes heat maps of where the most drug overdoses are occurring in the county, with the highest zipcode being 37421, or the East Brainerd area.

Megan Sloan, an epidemiologist for the Hamilton County Health Department, said, “What we’re seeing is, the areas with a bigger population, especially around the I-75 corridor, those we do see a higher percentage of suspected fatalities and suspected non-fatal overdoses.”

Lacey Goolsby, the Overdose Prevention Program Manager for the Hamilton County Health Department, said, “We work very closely with law enforcement, we work with our local EMS, we work with our local Hamilton County Coalition. We actually meet together monthly to talk about the trends, the data.”

They advise those struggling with drug addiction to come to a Health Department location, as they can get you help through the Hamilton County Coalition.

The data in their overdose report is on the Hamilton County Health Department’s website.