Public Health — Seattle & King County is monitoring changes in key economic, social, and other health indicators resulting from strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19. Just as the pandemic has had disparate impacts on parts of our population, mitigation measures present more hardship for some members of our community than others. The economic, social, and health impacts data project helps inform strategies and policies to minimize those harms and maximize outcomes for all residents of King County.

How are you using the data? Share your feedback via this brief survey.

Below are highlights, but you can view the entire dashboard here

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Washington state's COVID-19 state of emergency ended Monday, October 31, 2022. 

Due to COVID-19 Medicaid enrollment policies, more than half a million King County residents were enrolled in Medicaid in September 2022  

• There were 513,625 people enrolled in Medicaid in King County in September 2022. This is a 29% increase in Medicaid enrollment compared to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
  • Since March 2020, almost 115,000 individuals have enrolled.
  • Almost 2 out of 5 Medicaid enrollees are part of the Adult Medicaid Expansion group (the group of adults who can apply for Medicaid because of the 2014 Medicaid expansion).
• From July 27 - August 8, 6.0% of adults (ages 19-64) in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area reported that they lacked health insurance. 
  • This is a decrease compared to one year ago where 9.3% of adults in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area reported lacking health insurance.
  • Of adults in the workforce, self-employed adults in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area were the highest percentage (9%) to lack health insurance. 

ECONOMIC

Housing needs continue to be the leading reason for calls to 2-1-1  Housing needs continue to be the leading reason for calls to 2-1-1  

During April 1, 2020 – September 11, 2022*, housing needs have been the leading reason for calls to King County's 2-1-1 Crisis Connections**, with about two thirds of calls during early September 2022 related to housing. A large number of calls have come from south King County, with the highest number of calls coming from the 98032 (Kent) ZIP Code.

 ^{* Except for the initial COVID-19 vaccine roll-out period in January-March 2021.}

^{** 2-1-1 is a partner for many housing assistance programs, providing eligibility screening and referrals. Therefore, the high volume of calls to 2-1-1 for housing assistance, relative to other social service needs, may be influenced by the local referral structure for housing assistance services (which also changed during the COVID-19 pandemic).}

Increasing percent of adults in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area report likelihood of eviction or foreclosure 

July 25 - August 8, among all adults in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area, *3.5% reported a likelihood that their household would have to leave their home or apartment within the next two months because of eviction or foreclosure. This is more than double the rate compared to early June 2022 (1.4%).

^{*This percentage is among all adult households, not among adult households not current on housing payments}  

SOCIAL

Slight decrease in number of calls to the National Domestic Violence (DV) Hotline among King County residents 

After almost 6 months of increasing calls, there was a 9% decrease in to the National DV hotline calls from August to September 2022 (Aug: 211 calls; Sept: 193 calls). However, this is a 34% increase in calls compared to February 2022 (123 calls). 

Increasing percent of adults with children in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area report not having enough to eat 

During July 25 - August 8, 10% of adults in households with children in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area reported that they sometimes or often did not have enough food to eat in the last 7 days. This is double the rate compared to early July.   

HEALTH

1 in 6 adults in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area with children in their household reported their children experiencing changes in ability to stay focused during the past 4 weeks.

During mid-September to mid-October 2022, 16% of adults reported that at least one child in their household showed changes in their ability to stay focused. This is an increase compared to June-August 2022 where only 9% of adults reported the same.   Feeling anxious or clingy continues to be the leading child behavior change at 21% as reported by adults.

After declining in Spring/Summer 2022, Emergency Department (ED) visit rates among King County residents involving suicidal ideation are increasing

In September 2022, there were 219.5 per 10,000 ED visits for suicidal ideation. This is an increase compared to the previous month (206.5 per 10,000 ED visits in August 2022) but a decrease compared to September 2021 (246.9 per 10,000 visits) and 2020 (243.6 per 10,000 visits).

The late Summer 2022/early Fall 2022 increase in ED visits involving suicidal ideation is part of a seasonal trend that we will continue to monitor, especially as we go into the holiday season and winter months.  

For questions, please write to: COVIDevaluation@kingcounty.gov
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