Understanding
Our County
In order to improve the health of our county, we need to understand who we are
Coos County is located in southwest Oregon along the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 64,999. It is home to the Coquille Indian Tribe and The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. It is a tourist destination, with spectacular beaches, sand dunes, hiking trails, sport fishing, state and local parks, and the world-renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Residents and tourists alike enjoy the fresh air, outdoor activities, and opportunities for recreation which support a healthy lifestyle.
The health statistics of the local population, however, reveal that overall, people living here have poorer health outcomes when compared to state and national statistics. These health indicators can inform the need for interventions and opportunities for improving the health of residents in our area.
Demographics
Snapshot of demographic data provided by the health resources below
Age
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60% of population is 45 years or older
Race/Ethnicity
White: 94.7%
American Indian / Alaskan Native: 6.2% (nearly twice the percentage of the rest of Oregon)
Hispanic: 6.7%
Asian: 2.2%
Black/African American: .9%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islands: .3%
Births
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520 in 2023, with 26 of those births in the ages 15-19, or 5% of the resident births.
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(As in the state of Oregon, the number of births has been declining in recent years.)
Adults with Disabilities
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Coos 38.4%; Oregon 25% (est.)
Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence a person's health and well-being. They include the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, learn, work, and age, and encompass a wide range of social, economic, and environmental factors.
Secondary Education
High school graduation rate in 2021-2022: Coos 66%; Oregon 81%
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only a high school diploma: Coos 30.7%; Oregon 22.7%
Higher-Education
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A bachelor’s degree: Coos 12.5%; Oregon 21.3%
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Some college or associate’s degree: Coos 39.4%; Oregon 34.1%
Health Statistics
This is a snap shot of health outcomes, conditions and behaviors in Coos County. We have collected data from accredited resources and compared the numbers to the State of Oregon. We do this to understand where Coos County measures within the state as a whole.
Health Outcomes:
Mortality (Deaths)
Did you know? Coos has a higher death rate than in Oregon as a whole.
Crude death rate per 100,000: 1,781.8 1,052.3
Coos
Oregon
Leading causes of death per 100,000 in 2022:
Cancer 313.9 199
Heart disease 340.1 191.4
Unintended injuries 106.2 75.2
Cerebrovascular disease 87.7 61.7
Alzheimer’s disease 101.6 47.8
Chronic lung respiratory disease 104.6 47.5
COVID-10 56.9 44.7
Diabetes mellitus 69.2 34.2
Chronic liver disease/cirrhosis 49.2 21
Suicide 26.2 20
The data for Early Death, or the potential years of life lost before age 75 years, helps to increase our understanding of the health of residents of Coos. In 2022, Coos had the highest rate of early death of any county in Oregon.
Potential years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000 11,741 7,303.1
Heart disease 1,544.9 740.1
Unintended injuries 1,510.2 2,108
Cancer 2,098.8 1,183.7
Chronic liver disease 694 329.4
Suicide 577 548.7
Health Conditions:
Morbidity
Chronic Conditions
The occurrence of chronic conditions in Coos County from 2016-2019 exceeded the state of Oregon in all categories tracked.
Coos
Oregon
Arthritis, ever diagnosed 34.2% 26.6%
Asthma, current 17.5% 11.4%
Cancer, ever diagnosed 9.0% 8.9%
CHD/heart attack/stroke, ever diagnosed 12.2% 8.1%
COPD, ever diagnosed 11.0% 6.4%
Depressive disorder, ever diagnosed 31.1% 25.9%
Diabetes, ever diagnosed 12.5% 9.6%
High blood cholesterol, ever diagnosed 36.2% 27.9%
High blood pressure, ever diagnosed 36.5% 29.0%
One or more chronic conditions 65.1% 56.2%
Obesity
In 2022, 33.9% of adults in Coos County were considered obese, a decrease from 2021.
Diabetes
Diabetes prevalence among adults in Oregon increased 124% over the past 20 years.
9.4% in Oregon, 11.3% in Coos (2014-2017, age adjusted rate).
Health Behaviors:
Excercise
Coos County 6th graders report more exercise than Oregon students while 11th grader exercise was similar to that of Oregon. However, adults in Coos County reported less exercise and more soda consumption than adults in Oregon.
Substance use which can lead to early death:
Tobacco Use | Percentage of adults who use tobacco 2016-2019: Coos 34.6; Oregon 23.7
Alcohol Use | In Coos County, 51.2% of people reported current alcohol use, while 6.5% reported heavy drinking (8 or more drinks a week for women; 15 or more drinks a week for men) and 15.20% reported binge drinking (four or more drinks a day for women; 15 or more for men).
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