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".