County Health Rankings and Roadmaps

Explore the factors that influence health. Many factors influence how well and how long we live, from our access to affordable housing or well-paying jobs to opportunities for a good education for our kids. The County Health Rankings model shows us how these factors work together and illustrates where we can take action to improve health and eliminate barriers to opportunity.

Visit the County Health Rankings Website to learn about Onslow County (and other counties) health information such as Health Outcomes (length of life, quality of life, etc.), Health Factors (health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, etc.).  Click the header link to view the rankings. 

COVID-19 Wastewater Monitoring Dashboard

To better understand COVID-19 in North Carolina, NCDHHS is testing samples of wastewater from select wastewater treatment plants across the state to look for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. People with COVID-19 shed viral particles in their stool. These viral particles are pieces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 when still intact. In wastewater, the particles are no longer infectious but can still be measured. Testing wastewater for these viral particles allows us to track COVID-19 trends among people contributing to the wastewater. Data from these sites serve as a supplemental metric to understand the impacts of COVID-19 at the community level.

This project is a collaboration between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina system researchers, wastewater utilities, and public health departments.  Click the header link to view the dashboard. 

NC Violent Death Reporting System

The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded statewide surveillance system that collects detailed information on deaths that occur in North Carolina resulting from violence: homicide, suicide, unintentional firearm deaths, legal intervention, and deaths for which intent could not be determined. NC-VDRS is a multi-source incident-based system that gathers information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. The goal of this system is to aid researchers, legislators, and community interest groups in the development of public health prevention strategies to reduce violent deaths. NC-VDRS began collecting data in January 2004.  Click the header link to view the reporting system. 

NCDHHS Injury and Violence Prevention Branch

"Injury and violence are significant and largely preventable public health problems. Each year, injuries and violence keep millions of adults and children from achieving their goals.

The N.C. Injury and Violence Prevention Branch envisions North Carolina free from injuries and violence where lives are lived to their full potential. The work of the branch includes:

• Collecting and analyzing injury data to better understand the problem.
• Implementing programs to prevent injuries and violence.
• Coordinating and assisting groups working to prevent injury and violence to address the problem comprehensively.

Click the header link to view the website.

NCDHHS Statistics and Reports

Learn about various reports and statistics from the State Center for Health and Statistics available from the NC Department of Health and Human Services.  The NCDHHS Center for Health Statistics provides data models and publications.  Information can be filtered by year, counties, categories, and other factors based on the health data or topic you are searching for.  This website provides data on birth defects, cancer, minority health, and more!  Click the header link to view the website. 

Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard

This Opioid and Substance Use data dashboard provides integration and visualization of state, regional, and county-level metrics for partners across North Carolina to track progress toward reaching the goals outlined in the NC OSUAP.  North Carolina’s Opioid Action Plan was released in June 2017 with community partners to combat the opioid crisis and continues to be updated regularly. Click the header link to view the dashboard. 

State Suicide Prevention Action Plan

The Suicide Prevention Team within the Injury and Violence Prevention Branch at the Division of Public Health led plan development through support from a suicide prevention grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dedicated to reducing injury and death associated with suicide, the Suicide Prevention Action Plan is a component of a top DHHS priority: improving behavioral health and resilience.

This action plan will be collaboratively implemented during the next four years by DHHS and external partners, with final evaluation occurring in 2025. To adequately address the needs of specific populations and groups who are at increased risk for suicide, this work will include focused collaboration between DHHS and partner organizations.