This document summarizes a health assessment of the Desert Highland Gateway Community. It acknowledges contributing organizations and outlines sections including background, priority health areas, and recommendations. Through surveys and discussions, it was found that over half of residents suffer from high blood pressure, cholesterol, or obesity. Many residents rely on emergency rooms rather than regular care due to affordability and access issues. Incarceration was also found to negatively impact health and opportunities. Recommendations include developing programs to address these priority health issues and their root causes through improved access, education, and community support.

2. Acknowledgements
• Desert Healthcare District
• Desert Highland Gateway Community Residents
• James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center
• Loma Linda University Health Institute for Community Partnerships
• El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center
• Rosa Garden Apartments
• Palm Springs View Apartments
• Well of the Desert
• First Baptist Church
• Ajalon Missionary Baptist Church
• Palm Springs Stroke Recovery Center

3. Outline
1. Background
2. Problem
3. Purpose
4. Assessment Process
5. Results (Priority Areas)
6. Other Areas of Interest
7. What This Means to the Desert Highland Gateway Community
8. Recommendations
9. Next Steps

4. Background

6. Demographics
• Desert Highland Gateway Community is an
economically disadvantaged area
• 480 residences - single family homes and
multi-family apartment complexes
• Majority of community members are
African American or Hispanic

7. Problem
• In prior studies, minority residents in Palm
Springs have been
underrepresented/overlooked
• Underrepresentation has led to
overshadowing of resources that the
community needs

8. Purpose
• The Desert Highland Gateway Community Health
Assessment (DHG-CHA) project sought to answer
the following questions:
1. What are the predominant health conditions in this
community?
2. How do community members access health care?
3. What community resources are available or needed?

9. Assessment Process

10. Phase I:
Community Survey
• 307 DHG community members surveyed
• Interview-style
• Based on The National Health Interview Survey developed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Results from Phase I were used for further exploration in Phase II

11. Phase II:
Community Discussions
• Community mapping activity (n=14)
• Community leader interviews (n=10)
• Focus groups (n=18)
*n=number of participants

12. Results

13. General Demographics

14. General Demographics

15. General Demographics

16. Disease Prevalence

17. Priority Areas
1. High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and Obesity
2. Health Care Access and Emergency Room Use
3. Health Care Affordability
4. Health Impacts of Incarceration

18. High Blood Pressure,
High Cholesterol,
and Obesity
(About every 2 in 3 DHGC members affected)

19. Statistics
• 47% of respondents diagnosed with hypertension
• 28% of respondents diagnosed with high cholesterol
• 69% of respondents are either overweight or obese

20. Community Discussion
Results
• “Hypertension is a medical term for stress” and it is also a
“general American condition.”
• “Disease means dis-easement in life.”
• “Hypertension is controllable if we reduce our salt, fat, and
chemical intake.”

21. Community Discussion
Results
• Community members felt that STRESS is the
main cause of HHO
• Identified causes of stress:
• Criminal activity
• Unsafe neighborhood
• Unemployment
• Inadequate income
• Racism
• Poor access to health care
• Incarceration

22. Health Care Access and
Emergency Room Use
(About every 1 in 3 DHGC members affected)

23. Statistics
• 38% reported to use the emergency room as their
usual place of care
• 29% reported to use a doctor’s office/HMO as their
usual place of care
• 6% reported they didn’t have a usual place of care
because it was too expensive

24. Community Discussion
Results
• “Many doctors do not even accept Obamacare
patients.”
• “The ER is a quick fix and we are a part of the
problem when we don’t take care of ourselves.”
• “Some patients who upon presenting themselves are
stereotyped as unacceptable.”

25. Community Discussion
Results
• Quality and affordable care is not easily accessible
• Some healthcare providers stereotype patients
from the DHG community
• A reason why some have not received quality care

26. Health Care Affordability
(About every 1 in 2 DHGC members affected)

27. Statistics
• About 1 in 3 reported they could not afford dental
care in the past year
• About 1 in 2 reported they were unable to afford
prescriptions in the past year
• About 1 in 4 people delayed filling a prescription or
took less medication to save money

28. Community Discussion
Results
• “Many residents must go to Riverside, there are
problems getting there, lack of transportation or
money to pay for it.”
• “Health care is a hustle.”

29. Community Discussion
Results
• Lack of sufficient income and the high cost of health
care
→ DHG community members choose to go to the
Emergency Room (perceived to be cheaper)

30. Health Impacts of Incarceration
(About every 2 in 5 DHGC members affected)

31. Statistics
• 42% of the respondents reported to have been arrested
or incarcerated
• The majority were men (73%)
• 50% of those incarcerated have been denied health
care because of incarceration
• Of those who reported to have been incarcerated or
arrested:
• 46% are currently unemployed
• 62% use the ER as their usual place of care
• There are higher rates of substance abuse
(compared to general DHG community)

32. Community Discussion
Results
• “Arrests and incarceration impact the community
because they place a burden on the family.”
• “Many of the youth in the community don’t know
anything about life other than standing on the street
corner.”
• “They do not have jobs and cannot get jobs.”
• “... many of the youth have ‘hard heads’.”

33. Community Discussion
Results
• Factors that play a pivotal role in contributing
to incarceration:
• Stress
• Poor family dynamics
• Negative lifestyle habits
• Lack of opportunities
• Risky behavior
• Vicious life cycle

34. Other Areas of Interest
Mental Health
•25% have anxiety
•20% have depression
•18% have a phobia
Hearing
•20% have hearing loss (however only 11% of them have hearing aids)
Vision
•40% have difficulty seeing
•Only 37% have seen optometrist in the last year
•25% have not visited optometrist for 5+ years
Dental Health
•64% have lost permanent teeth
•Only 36% have visited dentist in the last year
•23 % have not visited dentist in 5+ years

35. What this Means to the
DHGC
• The community is being recognized, better represented,
and served
• Now there is solid evidence of health disparities
compared to surrounding communities
• Help push for positive health interventions to close the gap
• These areas have been identified and now can be
addressed:
• Most prevalent diseases
• Vicious life cycle
• Challenges concerning health care access and affordability
(health care resources)

36. What this Means to the
DHGC
• Identified positive, but untapped resources within
the community
• Helps to facilitate positive change in developing a
more healthy community
• Trained community health workers are now advocates for
the community

37. Recommendations

38. Health Care
Affordability
Health Care
Access
HHO
Health Impacts
of
Incarceration
Community wellness
committee
Health navigator
program
Community
workshops on the
Affordable Care Act
Chronic disease
management classes
Access to free or
low-cost dental and
vision care
Free health clinic
Community garden

39. Health Care
Affordability
Health Care
Access
HHO
Health Impacts
of
Incarceration
Improved public
safety in the
community
Improved
transportation
Vocational training
program (including
life skills classes)
Job placement
programs
Programs for at-risk
youth
Substance abuse
programs
Mental health
counseling

40. Next Steps
• Better utilize existing healthcare resources/dollars
• More effectively/equitably allocate future
resources/dollars to meet healthcare needs
• Recommend policies that reduce healthcare
disparities in underserved communities
• Reduce financial healthcare financial disparities by
making access more affordable

41. Next Steps
• Use social media to keep traction going for project
and to bring people together
• Develop community wellness committee
• Continue community recruitment and involvement

42. Thank you!