Cortland Counts 2009: Findings: Health and Safety
Highlights
The percentage of individuals who are uninsured in Cortland County is lower than the national and state percentages (Table HS-2).
- Eighteen percent or more of young adults ages 18 to 29 are uninsured; almost 40% of young men ages 20 to 24 are uninsured (Graph HS-1B).
- Less than 2/3 of Americans visit the dentist for regular teeth cleaning, with the lowest rate of visits for cleanings among young adults ages 18-29 year old (Graph HS-3).
- Fifty percent or less of people below 200% of the poverty level visits the dentist for regular cleanings.
The percentage of births covered by Medicaid continues to increase, while the number of births covered by private insurance continues to decline (Table HS-4).
Pregnancy and teen pregnancy rates in Cortland County are consistently lower than rates in Upstate and NYS (Table HS-3, Graph HS-4).
The rate of smoking among pregnant women, regardless of income, is higher in Cortland County than South Central NY, Upstate, or Healthy People 2010 goals (Table HS-7).
The number of cases of autism in children in New York State continues to rise, from just under 2000 in 1992 to nearly 18,000 in 2007 (Graph HS-5).
Diseases of the heart continue to be one of the leading causes of death in Cortland County (Table HS-8).
- In 2007 the rate of death from malignant neoplasms surpassed the rate of death from diseases of the heart for the first time in Cortland County.
- The annual rate of death from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD, formerly called COPD) in Cortland County continues to surpass that of Upstate or NYS. Tobacco use and Radon exposure may be contributing factors.
- Increased efforts to vaccinate eligible persons along with added categories of people eligible for pneumonia vaccine has positively affected the rate of death from pneumonia.
The rates of asthma-related hospitalization in children in the County continue to decline and are now comparable to Upstate and NYS rates (Table HS-10).
Rate of colorectal cancer among both males and females are higher for Cortland County than for Upstate (Table HS-13).
- Males in Cortland County have higher rates of esophageal cancer, cancer of the lung and bronchus, and prostate cancer than Upstate.
- Females in Cortland County have a higher rate of cervical and uterine cancers and higher rate of mortality from these cancers than Upstate.
Death rates due to motor vehicle accidents, unintentional injuries, and lung cancer are higher in Cortland County than in NYS (Table HS-14).
Rates of violent crime in Cortland County continue to be lower than Upstate and NYS rates, while rates of property crime continue to be higher (Table HS-16).
The percentage of admissions from Cortland County to OASAS-certified treatment programs for alcohol dependency has declined, while admissions for heroin/opiate addiction and marijuana/hashish addiction have increased (Table HS-23).
Indicated reports of child abuse in Cortland County continue to be higher than in Upstate or NYS, however, Cortland County rates declined from 2006 to 2007 (Table HS-25).
Rates of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use, and rates of consensual sex, as self-reported on the Cortland County 8th Grade Zero Adolescent Pregnancy (ZAP) survey, continue to decline. However, of those who do engage in consensual sex, the rate of teens who self-report using "something to prevent HIV or pregnancy" is also declining (Tables HS-26, HS-27, HS-28).
The United States is not in the top ten countries for healthy life expectancy (Table HS-29).
Rates of overweight (BMI > 25) show a downward trend from 2001/2002 to 2005/2006 in people ages 30 and up, but rates of overweight in 18-29 year olds continues to rise (Graph HS-9A). However, rates of obesity (BMI > 30) continue to climb for all ages (Graph HS-9B). The percentage of children who are overweight also continues to rise steadily for all age groups (Graph HS-11).
The number of domestic violence cases on file with the YWCA’s Aid to Victims of Violence Program was 230 in 2008, a high number compared to previous years (Table HS-30).
The rate of children under age 6 with elevated blood lead levels increased from 6 cases per 1,000 children to more than 17 cases per 1,000 children in 2008. These results did not follow the previous 3-year downward trend for both Cortland County and NYS. There has been an increased effort in Cortland County to screen children for lead (Graph HS-12).
Tobacco use in Cortland County has declined significantly: Only 14.2% of the population identified themselves as current smokers, compared to 23.9% in 2004 (Table HS-32).
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