Last Thursday, November 13th, two representatives from East Carolina University's Center for Survey Research: Office of Innovation and Economic Development, met with nine – that's only about 1% – of Ocracoke's residents to discuss the community's health, health concerns, and aspects of life on an island. Mandee Lancaster, the Director of ECU's Survey Research Office, and Justin Raines, the Assistant Director of the same department, designed and distributed community health surveys throughout Hyde County, which are available online or on paper to anyone 16-years of age or older.
During the meeting the attendees were asked a series of questions, which were recorded for accuracy purposes, about the perks and downfalls of living in an isolated area, and how those perks and downfalls impact the overall health of people in the community.
All participants acknowledged that living on Ocracoke is relaxed and overall a very low-stress and "low key" way of life. They also commented on the strong sense of community, which makes them feel safe and feel confident their children are safe. Several people spoke about how residents step in to help and take care of each other, giving "peace of mind" to the members of the community, and also mentioned the low crime rate.
Participants were next asked about what residents do to stay active and healthy. Adults and children can frequently be seen riding bikes or walking to and from work or school, there is a large community of people who surf, organized sports are available through the school, and newly created Pickleball and soccer leagues are available for adults. Angie's Gym is another option, offering memberships and group exercise classes. For school employees and volunteers, a weight room is available.
Next the participants were asked about what health issues they see in the community and how those issues can be remedied.
Alcoholism and drug addiction (prescription and illegal) were the first mentioned, followed by depression and diabetes. Multiple times mental health care was brought into the discussion. Without access to mental health professionals on Ocracoke, the participants spoke of how many people who suffer from depression turn to alcohol and drugs as a way of "self-medicating." The stigma surrounding mental health patients was also discussed, and the participants expressed concern for people who could benefit from seeing a mental health professional, but don't due to a lack of anonymity and confidentiality.
Living on Ocracoke also prevents people from being able to access large medical facilities quickly, plus the remote location can cause delays in receiving services, such as those from the Department of Social Services, offered through Hyde County.
Other concerns were discussed too. Many people in the community do not have health insurance, so, for example, regularly going to a doctor for wellness check-ups may not be seen as a priority or something that can be afforded. Even those with insurance can find going to see a specialist challenging. Residents tend to have to take an entire day off work, losing that day's pay in many cases, to travel to places like Nags Head, Elizabeth City, and locations on the Mainland to see a doctor. Residents also rely on pharmacies located on Hatteras Island to receive prescription medications, and if the ferries aren't running, treatment will be delayed.
The residents who attended the meeting expressed the need to have a specialist or specialists visit the island once a month or so to make medical care more accessible for everyone, but especially for the elderly and for pediatric patients. Care for the elderly became a major discussion through several different topics. One participant asked why "Meals on Wheels" no longer frequents the island. Another spoke about how the elderly without family here "kind of fall through the cracks" when it comes to medical care. There are no in-home medical services currently available, and transportation to and from a medical facility can be difficult to arrange (it was mentioned that resident Ivey Belch, pastor of the Ocracoke Assembly Church, does transport people to and from medical appointments). Hyde County does provide a home cleaning service, but the participants feel there needs to be "a bank of people who can come take care of the elderly or those who need constant care."
Roanoke Island Animal Hospital comes to the island regularly, so the community members present felt the same services should be available for medical care. They also expressed the need for healthy options to be more afforable – gym memberships and fresh produce can be too expensive for some residents, plus medical care at the local clinic can be extremely costly. These factors, in the opinions of those present, may contribute to people adopting unhealthy lifestyles, which can then cause people to get "stuck in a rut." One participant expressed frustration when it comes to income lines, saying the middle class have the most trouble financially and distribution of financial assistance, at times, seems unfair. Those who do receive food stamps and WIC can no longer use the funds locally, and several attendees verbalized concern and wondered as to why this is the case.
Another important topic discussed was about privacy at Ocracoke's medical clinic. Participants explained the walls of the clinic are very thin, so people in the waiting area can hear what's being said in examination rooms. The idea of using another building came up, but the people talking all asked where would another medical facility go? When doctors and dentists did come to Ocracoke, they set up at the clinic, which the participants acknowledged was better than not having doctors visit. Other options such as the school gym were suggested, but with privacy being a necessity, an open location wouldn't be a good solution.
The new regulations at the clinic were briefly talked about, too. The clinic is now being run from a Federal grant, so some changes occurred. The after-hours care, which had been provided through Hyde County, had its funding pulled, and now EMS handles any medical situation once the clinic closes each evening at 5 o'clock. Ocracoke residents have access to an on-call nursing system, but the calls are directed to a center in Raleigh, which is a concern for residents.
At the end of the meeting the attendees were asked if they had any additional comments. One of the people said sexual health is an issue that needs to be addressed. Since the school is not allowed to distribute condoms to its students, anyone who is sexually active and makes the choice to use protection has to purchase condoms from local stores. Many have expressed fear that someone will see them and tell their parents. The same fear holds true for those seeking condoms through the clinic.
If you are interested in participating in the Hyde County Health Survey and/or have comments about the health of the community, you can follow this link www.tinyurl.com/HydeCHA or call the office Monday-Friday between 8am and 5pm at 252.926.4381
*For confidentiality purposes the names of the residents who attended and spoke were intentionally left out of this article.