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Introduction
Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Gallatin County is the most populated and fastest growing county in scenic southwest Montana. According to the U.S. Census estimates, over 73,000 people now live in Gallatin County. The county is comprised of several communities, among them including West Yellowstone, Three Forks, Belgrade, and Manhattan. Skiers, outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife watchers, business owners, vacationers, ranchers, retirees, students are among the many who call Gallatin County their home.
Gallatin County covers over 2,500 square miles of mountain lands varying in topography and climate from temperate river valleys to snow-capped peaks and open ranch lands. Nearly half of all the land in Gallatin County is under public ownership by the Gallatin National Forest, State of Montana, Bureau of Land Management or the National Park Service. Residents and visitors alike have easy access to Yellowstone National Park, blue-ribbon trout rivers, and pristine skiing and hiking opportunities. These, among other factors, contribute to the high quality of life here in Gallatin County.
FOREWORD
The mission of the Gallatin City-County Health Department as stated is “to protect and promote the health of county citizens and the environment through the efforts of dedicated and skilled employees and application of sound public health principles.” Since 1997, as part of a national effort to improve our public health system, Montana has participated in the Turning Point Initiative, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Kellogg Foundation. Specifically, this initiative aims to increase the capacity of the public health system to respond to changing health needs, to promote collaboration among agencies and organizations interested in improving the health of the public, and to improve accountability for publicly-funded health systems decisions and actions.
Ten essential services of public health agencies have been identified as necessary for meeting public health goals. Monitoring public health risks has been listed as one of those services. Fulfilling this task requires active surveillance and regular collection, analysis, and sharing of information about the health-related conditions of community citizens. As our understanding of health and its determinants continues to grow, we realize that health is influenced by a variety of social, cultural (including race and gender), economic, geographical, and environmental factors. For example, many studies indicate that health disparities exist among persons with lower income-levels, certain ethnic minorities, and rural communities.
This report provides a summary of an effort to investigate and report on the current trends and status of health-related conditions not only of Gallatin County residents, but also as they compare to those of surrounding counties, the state of Montana, and the nation. This document is part of an on-going effort to systematically monitor risks to the public’s health. The data do not provide a complete picture of Gallatin County’s health. However, we hope that as awareness grows about the need for more health-related information of our community, more comprehensive data sets will be made available.
Every attempt has been made to collect and verify the reliability of sources. When possible, data has been presented in a format that is easily readable and more accurately reflects actual trends. However, readers should be cautioned about the limitations of such data. County population figures often reflect low numbers, and thus are likely to be unstable. Large differences in populations will dramatically skew any comparisons between counties. When available, adjusted rates have been used to reduce population differences for comparison. Also, some data sets are presented in several-year averages to provide a better representation of trends.
We hope this report will be used in combination with other community resources as a means for raising awareness of issues related to the health of our community citizens; initiating constructive dialogue and action for a healthy community; and, strengthening the infrastructure of Gallatin County.
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