California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith announced Monday that the state has shown continued improvements in slowing the rate of death as a result of AIDS, cancers and heart disease.
The announcement came as CDPH released its annual County Health Status Profiles.
“The improvements are encouraging and show how far we’ve come,” said Dr. Smith. “Despite the achievements, it’s important to remember there are areas, especially in chronic conditions, where we have opportunities to do better. We also need to ensure that all communities show improvement so we can truly make California the healthiest state in the nation.”
The County Health Status Profiles 2016, released Monday by CDPH as part of National Public Health Week (April 4 to 10), provide statewide and county-level data to report on the course of health promotion and preventive services, including the objectives of Healthy People 2020 National Objectives.
Highlights of the County Health Status Profiles 2016 include:
· A 28-percent decrease in the incidence of AIDS (aged 13 and older). While San Francisco’s incidence of AIDS continues to be above the state average, it has decreased 37 percent from the previous three-year period.
· All cancers age-adjusted death rates (including female breast cancer, colorectal, lung cancer and prostate cancer) decreased, with the lung cancer death-rate decreasing more than 12 percent.
· Infant mortality has decreased for all races. Notably, Black infant mortality decreased nearly 13 percent, Asian/Pacific Islander decreased nearly 11 percent, White decreased 8 percent and Hispanic decreased nearly 6 percent.
· Births to teen mothers (aged 15 to 19 years) decreased nearly 26 percent.
· Coronary heart disease age-adjusted death rate decreased nearly 12 percent.
· Tuberculosis decreased nearly 11 percent.
· Gonorrhea incidence among males in the 15 to 44 age group increased by 54 percent. Gonorrhea incidence rate for females increased by 35 percent.
· Chlamydia incidence increased by 7 percent.
In Lake County, rankings in key areas were the worst in the state and, in many instances, appeared largely unchanged since the 2015 report.
Lake County ranked No. 58 for death from all causes, lung cancer and drug-induced deaths.
Deaths due to all cancers, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis and accidents (unintentional injuries), and infant mortality for all groups ranked the county No. 57.
The county was ranked No. 56 for chronic lower respiratory disease and homicide, and No. 55 for coronary heart disease and suicide. It earned a No. 52 ranking for firearm-related deaths.
As for AIDS incidence in age 13 and over, the county ranked No. 36. It was ranked No. 57 for gonorrhea incidence among females age 15 to 44, while male incidence of the disease for the same age group was ranked No. 34. The county's chlamydia incidence ranking was No. 19.
California shows continued improvement on national health goals; Lake County has poor overall ranking
- Lake County News reports
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