iHeard Baltimore | Top Health Concerns In Baltimore: Gun Violence, Drug Abuse

The survey 

Baltimore adults (n=168) were asked, “What is the biggest health problem facing Baltimore?” After choosing from 14 options, they were asked, “What is the second biggest health problem facing Baltimore?” Similar proportions chose gun violence (38%) and drug abuse/addiction/ overdose (36%) as the biggest or second biggest health problem, followed by mental health (27%), COVID-19 and Long COVID (27%), and health care access and costs (26%). 

How does Baltimore compare to national results? 

The survey was administered to 558 adults in five states who were asked to rate the top concerns in their states. Nationally, the top health concerns were gun violence (35%), drug abuse/addiction/overdose (32%), mental health (31%) and healthcare access and costs (30%). No state rated COVID-19 and Long COVID as highly as Baltimore.  Similarly, 15% of Baltimore respondents rated mother and child health as the biggest or second biggest health problem, much higher than any other state (3-9%). 

Other results 

One in ten Baltimore adults (11%) rated reproductive health as the biggest or second biggest health problem. No other problem exceeded 5%: heart disease (5%), cancer (4%), traffic safety (4%), extreme weather (2%), obesity (2%), and diabetes (1%). 

Share the findings, see what others think 

Do you and those you know agree with these concerns?  Share the resources below and ask what people think. Talking about community health challenges can help focus response efforts.