Healthy West Texas Initiative | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
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Healthy West Texas Initiative

Rural Resource Framework

Empowering Wellness For Rural Communities One Door At A Time

Healthy West Texas Initiative

This community engagement project, launched in Crane, Texas in 2024, highlights how data, trust and partnerships can drive innovative and impactful health improvements. Efforts are focused on empowering communities through client-centered care with the use of digital tools and real-time data. By giving individuals access to their own health information, communities can take greater control over their well-being, making informed decisions based on immediate, actionable feedback on behaviors.

Portrait photo of Matthew Hernandez

As a surveyor, I was afforded the opportunity to assess a community’s health needs and build rapport with fellow Texans. These experiences yielded primary information that demonstrates rationale for intentional resource outlay to better support underserved communities. What we now know about one of our service region’s communities is indicative of the endless possibilities that lie ahead for our great university.

Matthew Hernandez, M.Ed., MPH

Director TTUHSC Institutional Excellence and Culture

Door-To-Door Rural Community Engagement

To ensure the survey data would help provide potential solutions to meet the needs of Crane, the first step was to conduct a survey that was reflective of the community. The data clearly show the level of undiagnosed, silent health conditions that can be addressed with cost-effective solutions. Results were provided immediately to the survey participants, giving over 500 people new insights into their health status through tests for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Over 90% of individuals were unaware of their early health conditions, and those who were aware had received suboptimal treatment. CDC, state and local models of underlying health conditions underestimated rural health conditions by nearly 200%

  • 22% of respondents reported limited access to health care in the past year
  • 50% of the population sampled meets the obesity definition
  • 58% have a prediabetic or diabetic range HbA1c, with 22% in the diabetic range
  • 62% of the population surveyed had elevated diastolic and systolic measurements
  • 38% were experiencing stage 2 or 3 hypertension

This initiative utilizes and adapts proven solutions designed for rural areas across the globe to meet the needs of rural Texans. This project is expanding to Pecos in partnership with the Permian Strategic Partnership.

INSIGHTS SOUGHT FROM HOUSEHOLD VISITS

  • Significant barriers exist to effective diagnosis and successful treatment
  • Patterns in disease prevalence (cancer)
  • High blood pressure and prediabetes were found in over half of the population, along with undiagnosed cases of:
    • prediabetes
    • diabetes
    • hypertension

PROJECT OUTCOMES

  • Data-driven health profiles of communities served under the initiative
  • Valuable understanding community health dynamics
  • Ongoing tracking and implementation of critical solutions for the community

Project Leads

Deborah L. Birx, M.D.
TTUHSC Presidential Advisor and Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health Associate Professor

Ron Cook, D.O., MPH
TTUHSC Health Officer

Billy Phillips, Ph.D., MPH
TTUHSC Executive Vice President for the Division of Rural Affairs and Director of the F. Marie Hall Institute for Rural and Community Health

Gerard Carrino, Ph.D., MPH
TTUHSC Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health Dean

Irum Zaidi, MPH
TTUHSC Executive Director of the Healthy West Texas Initiative