Providence Valdez Medical Center recently conducted a community needs assessment to assist with PVMC’s short and long-term strategic planning. The survey covers basic demographic and health statistics and contains comparisons with a similar study done in 2007. KVAK will be highlighting different portions of the study in our e-newspaper each week.
In 2009, alcohol use in Valdez high school students was higher than Alaskan
high school students and increased since 2003. For example, 76% of Valdez high school students had used alcohol in their lifetime compared to 67% of Alaskan high school students in 2009, an 8% increase since 2003. Almost half (46%) of junior high school students in Valdez reported drinking alcohol in their lifetime in 2009, an increase of 6% since 2003. Thirty day cigarette and marijuana use also increased for Valdez high school students between 2003 and
2009.

The 2011 Community Health Needs Assessment report is now available for viewing at www.providence.org/alaska/valdez.