Environmental Health in Rural Alaskan Health Clinics: A 5-Year Review

Small health clinics often are the sole source of healthcare for communities in Alaska’s rural interior. Ensuring that these facilities maintain a safe and functional condition, therefore, is essential to ensure both access and continuity of care. The study described here analyzed 78 environmental health surveys conducted by the Tanana Chiefs Conference in 26 clinics over a 5-year period. These surveys aim to help clinics identify and address issues that could compromise patient safety or the clinic’s ability to provide patient care. The large variation in clinic size and service demand is addressed by expressing data as rates per 1,000 annual residents. Of the 1,315 observations recorded, the most common observations were related to building condition and design (34.2%), safety and health (25.1%), and fire safety (15.8%). Although these clinics fulfill a much-needed niche, clinic location and lack of resources can lead to poor environmental health conditions. Failure to remedy these issues can lead to less comprehensive patient care, reduced safety for staff, and an unsanitary clinic environment.