All island residents can expect a knock at the door, and a series of questions, from Public Health officials beginning next month.

The Department of Public Health and Social Services, the Research Corporation of the University of Guam, or RCUOG, in partnership with the Mayors’ Council of Guam, will be conducting a “Health Disparities” survey starting in February 2022.

Dr. Ann Pobutsky, the territorial epidemiologist for DPHSS, who appeared before the MCOG on Wednesday said the survey will be conducted island-wide, from small to big populations within villages, which is anticipated to go on for the whole year.

For example, it will start with Humatak and conclude in Dededo.

The purpose of the survey is to locate all who are high-risk and identify the hard-to-reach populations.

Dr. Pobutsky stated, “available data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic affects vulnerable or high-risk populations in Guam like Chuukese, Phonepians, other Micronesians, as well as our low-income CHamoru and Filipino population, are getting and dying of COVID.”

Public Health needs assistance from village mayors in identifying islandwide geographic areas, places, apartment buildings, and homes, with at-risk populations.

During a presentation to the MCOG at their monthly meeting, Dr. Pobutsky shared what residents can expect to see in the survey, which includes an incentive.

"We’re not using any names on this survey, it’s anonymous," she said. "We do ask for a household contact for each household so that we can provide them with gas coupons if they complete the survey’s they will get $20 worth of gas coupons, and we are asking about the age, sex, ethnicity of all household members, school, job employment, and we’re asking about what happened in 2020 and 2021. We also want to see how families have coped during COVID, especially if they’re at-risk populations."

The survey is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC.

Pobutsky noted all U.S. states are getting health disparity grants because their findings show ethnic minorities in the mainland and disproportionate populations are more likely to get sick and die from COVID.