2014 State Of The County Health Report Released

As mentioned in our last post, public health collects & interprets illness & injury data. Some health issues may be national (e.g., obesity), regional (e.g., southern Stroke Belt), or local (e.g., teen pregnancy).

Data interpretation isn't always straight-forward. If taken out of context (accidentally or purposefully), the numbers could be misleading. Small numbers of cases or temporary spikes in the number of cases can also easily be misinterpreted. To help overcome this, we often use longer-term trends (5+ years) & incidence rates (which allow accurate comparisons between different sized populations). It can also be easy to draw false or unrelated conclusions to explain why something did (or didn't) happen. To learn more about these potential pitfalls, check out:
- UNC Writing Center's Statistics
- Psychology in Action's What is a Confounding Variable?.

Once statistics are gathered, compared, & interpreted, a plan is put into place. Our 2014 State Of The County Health Report (click to read the 6p report) shows the process in real life. Here's a brief overview.
- Death rates from cancer, diabetes, flu/pneumonia, heart disease, lung disease, & stroke decreased in both counties. (comparing 2005 - 2009 & 2009 - 2013)
- There were mixed results for sexually transmitted disease rates. However, both counties showed double digit decreases in teen pregnancy rates (compared to 2004 rates). Six programs are highlighted.
- Unfortunately, overweight & obesity rates in both counties rose compared to 2010. However, there may be a promising downward trend in heavy 2-4 year olds. Five programs are highlighted.
- High school graduation rates rose sharply in both counties (compared to the 2007-2008 school year). Racial disparities exist in both counties. Four programs are highlighted.
- Although both counties' 2013 child fatalities rates are the highest in several years, the more reliable 5 year rates have improved. (comparing 2007 - 2011 & 2009 - 2013) Health department efforts & partnerships are highlighted.

The full State of the County Health Report (SOTCH) & more detailed Community Health Assessment (CHA) are available at www.gvdhd.org. Choose "Resources" & then "Community Assessments".

Public Health Impacts Everyone

With multiple high-profile health epidemics, public health has definitely been in the public eye this year. However, once the crisis passes, public health fades into the background... continuing to quietly & professionally serve their communities.

There's much more to local health departments than most people realize! Granville-Vance Public Health services include:
- Clinic (maternal, child, family planning, & general health) plus postpartum home visits
- Communicable Disease outbreak investigation & tracking
- Health education (awareness, prevention, & treatment of health issues; workplace wellness; etc.)
- Health promotion (policies & projects that make a community healthier, like greenways, no smoking, etc.)
- Environmental Health (inspections of restaurants, public pools, lodging, etc.; waste water permits; various lab tests; etc.)
- Home Health (in-home skilled nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, etc.)
- WIC (nutrition education & supplemental food for eligible women, infants, & children; breastfeeding support; etc.)
- Vital Records maintenance
- Data trends (our next post will showcase this...)

Find more details on our newly redesigned website (www.gvdhd.org) or call us-- Granville (919-693-2141) or Vance (252-492-7915).

April is Public Health Month!

What is Public Health?

The American Public Health Association explains, "Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. ...Public health works to track disease outbreaks, prevent injuries and shed light on why some of us are more likely to suffer from poor health than others. ...Public health saves money, improves our quality of life, helps children thrive and reduces human suffering."

The 2015 theme is "Together we can create the healthiest nation in one generation." The plan includes:
- "Raising the Grade":  Experts examine data to explain why the average US lifespan trails that of other developed nations.
- "Starting from Zip":  Since zip code can impact health, experts share health disparities within local, regional, & state populations. (Stay tuned for the Granville-Vance State of the Counties Health Report... coming soon to our blog!)
- "Building Momentum":  Learn more about exciting, existing health education & promotion programs.
- "Building Broader Connections":  Public health covers many topic areas. But, each community has different resources, needs, & obstacles. A variety of interested parties should ideally be involved.
- "Building on 20 Years of Success":   Review public health success stories & look forward to what still needs to be done.

For more info, check out:
- American Public Health Association
- Centers for Disease Control
- Granville-Vance Public Health (It's newly updated... Tell us what you think!)

Bend, Don't Break... Flexibility & Core Strength

Let's talk about the final components of a well-rounded fitness routine:  flexibility, stretching, balance, & core strength. As mentioned in weeks past, these activities also have many benefits. They contribute to injury prevention, quicker recovery from some injuries, less pain, decreased stress levels, improved immunity, better sleep, etc.

As with all new exercises, remember to slowly add (or increase) them into your routine. Pain is usually not a good sign. So, consider modifying the exercise/pose to meet your current ability. While these activities can contribute to improved quality of life, please see your healthcare provider first if you have pain, mobility, joint, or balance issues.

Flexibility, Stretching, & Balance
- WebMD's Stretching and Flexibility: 7 Tips
- WebMD's Feel Good Stretching Routine
- Frank Horton Associates' 10 Reasons to Try Yoga
- NCCIH's The Practice of Yoga Video (4min)
- Mayo Clinic's Tai Chi
- NCCIH's Tai Chi & Qi Gong for Health and Well-being Video (14min)

Core
- Harvard School of Public Health's The Real-world Benefits of Strengthening Your Core
- Yahoo Health's 6 Better Core Exercises for Beginners
- ACE Fitness' Core Workout
- ACE Fitness' Stability Ball Workout