COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT 1

Addressing Substance Abuse in Pasco County: A Community Health Assessment

Omar Shaout

College of Nursing, University of South Florida

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Addressing Substance Abuse in Pasco County: A Community Health Assessment

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a community health assessment and identify a

population-specific priority health issue in Pasco County, Florida. Substance abuse, including

drugs, alcohol, and smoking, has emerged as a significant concern in the county, with Pasco

County experiencing higher rates of opioid overdose and substance abuse disorders compared to

the state average. Understanding the county’s geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic

characteristics, as well as healthcare access, is crucial for an effective community health

assessment and developing effective interventions. By addressing substance abuse, the well-

being and overall health outcomes of individuals, families, and the community can be improved.

Overview of Pasco County

Pasco County was introduced after Hernando County was divided into three parts and

was named after a United States senator from Florida named Samuel Pasco. Pasco County is

located in the west-central region of Florida. It is bordered by Hernando County to the north,

Hillsborough County to the east, Pinellas County to the south, and the Gulf of Mexico to the

west. It has an overall population size of 750,000 people, making it the fifth-most populous

county in Florida. According to the Florida Department of Health, the ethnic and racial makeup

of the county was reported to be 87.6 percent White, 5.6 percent Black, and the remaining

fractions are Asian, Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiian, some other race, or two or more races.

Of the total population, 14.5 percent are Hispanic or Latino. The median household income in

Pasco County is $52,000, which is slightly below the state average of $55,000 (University of

Wisconsin Population Health Institute [UWPHI], 2020). The County is home to major employers

such as Pasco County School District, Pasco County Government, and HCA Healthcare. The
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three major healthcare systems include BayCare Health System, Pasco County Health

Department, and AdventHealth (Florida Department of Health, 2022).

Benchmark Comparison of Local vs. State Populations

Various population and socioeconomic factors must be examined to gain insight into

health disparities within Pasco County. Comparing key indicators with state-level data can

provide more data to focus on areas that need attention. Firstly, the percentage of families below

the poverty level in Pasco County is 8.6 percent and compared to the state level which is 9.4

percent there is a .8 difference according to the most recent data from 2016-2020 (Florida

Department of Health, 2022). According to the Department of Health, 89.9 percent of the

population over the age of 25 had a high school diploma compared to 88.5 percent for the state

(Florida Department of Health, 2022). The number of individuals older than the age of five that

speak other languages than English is 15.2 percent compared to 29.4 percent for the state

(Florida Department of Health, 2022). The ratio of primary care providers for Pasco County is

1890:1 compared to 1380:1 for the state (UWPHI, 2020). For other primary care providers in

Pasco County, it is 940:1 compared to 680:1 for the state (UWPHI, 2020). Adults who were not

able to visit a doctor are 20.8 percent in Pasco County and 16.6 percent in the state of Florida

(Florida Department of Health, 2022).

Analysis of County Health Outcomes

Analyzing the county-level data, Pasco County exhibits both strengths and areas for

improvement regarding health outcomes. Strengths include the unemployment rate which is at

4.4 percent compared to Florida at 4.6 percent (UWPHI, 2020). Another strength for Pasco

County is traffic volume at 203 compared to 615 in Florida (UWPHI, 2020). Pasco County has
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13 percent of the population under age 65 without health insurance compared to 15 percent in

Florida.

Areas of weakness for Pasco County include adult smoking which is at 22 percent

compared to 16 percent in Florida. Adult obesity is another problem for Pasco County which is

at 32 percent compared to 28 percent for Florida (UWPHI, 2020). The last and major weakness

for Pasco County is drug overdose deaths and substance abuse which is 40 deaths per 100,000

people compared to Florida’s 27 deaths per 100,000 people (UWPHI, 2020).

Identification of a Population-Specific Priority Health Issue

After reviewing the community health assessment data, it becomes evident that a

population-specific priority health issue in Pasco County is substance abuse, including drugs,

alcohol, and smoking. This concern affects various demographic groups within the county, with

significant implications for the well-being and health outcomes of individuals. This priority

health concern specifically targets individuals of all ages living in Pasco County who are at risk

of or currently engaging in substance abuse behaviors. According to the Office of Disease

Prevention and Health Promotion, more than 20 million individuals in the United States have a

substance use disorder and most of these individuals do not get treatment for their disorder.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 115 Americans die every

day due to an opioid overdose and more than 630,000 have died from drug overdoses from 1999

to 2016 (Powell et al., 2022).

Substance abuse including drugs, alcohol, and smoking in Pasco County, are the biggest

issues that can be improved. Pasco County’s opioid overdose is 47.8 compared to 29.9 for

Florida (Florida Department of Health, 2022). Pasco County has high rates of opioid deaths and

substance abuse disorders. The number of opioid overdose deaths in Pasco County is 246 and
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6,089 deaths in Florida overall. Supporting data at the state and national level underlines the

gravity of this issue, leading to the following population diagnosis: Pasco County adult residents

ages 18-64 are at risk of developing a substance abuse problem as evidenced by the high rates of

opioid overdose, opioid-related deaths, and substance abuse disorders within the county.

Discussion and Application of the Social Determinants of Health Model

The social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence

health outcomes and are important in any community assessment. They are the conditions in

which people are born, live, work, grow, and age, and the bigger set of forces and systems that

shape the daily life of individuals (Spruce, 2019). The SDOH is a model that helps identify and

understand the underlying factors that contribute to health disparities and the framework for

intervention planning. Using SDOH health outcomes requires the social, economic, and

environmental determinants of health in addition to the Western medical approach. The priority

health concern for Pasco County is substance abuse and many SDOH factors contribute to this

issue. Some of the factors that contribute to substance abuse include economic stability such as

unemployment and poverty. The unemployment rate for Pasco County in 2018 is 3.8 percent

compared to 2020 7.3 percent (UWPHI, 2020). Poverty and financial stressors may lead

individuals to seek relief through drugs or alcohol. Individuals facing economic challenges may

have limited access to resources. Another factor that contributes to substance abuse is education.

Many individuals who use substances such as heroin, fentanyl, and methenamine are uneducated

and have limited health literacy which can result in a lack of awareness of the risks associated

with these substances.

Community/Population-Based Interventions
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The priority health concern of substance abuse, specifically in relation to education as it

is important to explore evidence-based interventions that have proven effective in solving this

issue at both the individual level and population levels. Education has a huge role in preventing

substance abuse and preventing overdose deaths. The primary intervention for substance abuse

disorder to solve the diagnosis of increased risk of substance abuse use by adults who are 18-64

is community education and awareness campaigns.

Primary Level of Prevention

The primary evidence-based intervention that has been effective in addressing the

substance abuse health concern and the population diagnosis in Pasco County is community

education and awareness campaigns. The Florida Opioid Education and Awareness Campaign

examined opioid use and related outcomes in Florida. The education campaign included a variety

of educational materials, such as brochures, posters, and videos. This educational information

was distributed to schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations in Pasco County.

The result from this study includes that the campaign was associated with a significant decrease

in the prevalence of past months’ opioid use among adults aged 18-64 and a huge increase in the

prevalence of past month naloxone use (Hser et al., 2019). The result also found a significant

decrease in emergency department visits during the past month related to opioids.

Conclusion

In conclusion, substance abuse, including drugs, alcohol, and smoking, has been

identified as a population-specific priority health issue in Pasco County, Florida. The county

experiences higher rates of opioid overdose and substance abuse disorders compared to the state

average. Community education and awareness campaigns have been recognized as an effective

primary intervention to address this health concern. The Florida Opioid Education and
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Awareness Campaign, implemented in Pasco County, resulted in significant reductions in opioid

use prevalence among adults aged 18-64, increased naloxone use, and decreased emergency

department visits related to opioids. By distributing educational materials and raising awareness

about the risks associated with substance abuse, Pasco County can empower individuals to make

informed decisions and seek help when needed. A policy to benefit this program is necessary to

be implemented. It is important to integrate these interventions into comprehensive health

policies and programs to create a supportive environment for individuals, reduce substance abuse

rates, prevent overdose deaths, and improve overall community health and well-being.
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References

Florida Department of Health. (2022). Pasco Community Health Assessment 2022.

https://pasco.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/community-health-planning-and-

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Florida Department of Health. (2023). Patient and family programs and resources. Retrieved

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PatientandFamilyProgramsandResources/index.html

Hser, Y.-I., Huang, Y.-C., Li, G., & Longshore, D. (2019). Effects of a statewide opioid education

and awareness campaign on opioid use and related outcomes in Florida. Journal of

Substance Abuse Treatment, 99, 104915. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2019.104915

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2023). Healthy People 2030 objective for

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D. (2022). Opioid-related overdose fatality cases in two Florida counties. Journal of

emergencies, trauma, and shock, 15(2), 83–87. https://doi.org/10.4103/jets.jets_130_21

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https://doi.org/10.1002/aorn.12722

University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. (2020). County health rankings &

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