Southern Nevada Health District Releases Countys Second Health Status Report

Southern Nevada Health District releases

county’s second health status report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 26, 2007

Las Vegas – The Southern Nevada Health District has completed the second volume of its Clark County Health Status report. The report is available on the agency’s website. The second volume provides an overview of Clark County residents’ health status as it relates to the chronic and non-communicable diseases, mortality rates, and behavioral risk factors affecting health that are practiced by residents. In addition to adult behaviors, the report also reviews risky behaviors in teens.

Significant findings in the report include:

The percentage of Clark County adults who report that they have no medical insurance is higher than the national median and has increased from 13 percent in 2000 to 19 percent in 2005.
Heart disease and cancer were the top two causes of death for adults of both sexes in Clark County. In 2003, these illnesses accounted for 51 percent of all deaths among men and 47 percent among women in the county.
In Clark County, deaths due to chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries and suicide were higher among residents than the rest of the nation.
In 2005, one in five Clark County adults older than 65 had diabetes, one in four reported some form of cardiovascular disease, and one in two reported having hypertension or high cholesterol.
The prevalence of chronic diseases varies by race and ethnicity in Clark County. For example, between 2000 and 2005 approximately 35 percent of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 18 had hypertension as compared to 16 percent of Hispanics and 27 percent of non-Hispanic whites.
The prevalence of obesity in Clark County increased from 18 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2005.
Although tobacco use among county residents continues to decrease, it remains higher than the national rate. In 2005, approximately 23.8 percent of county adults smoked compared to 20.5 percent nationwide.

The report also reveals that in spite of community efforts, many of the Healthy People 2010 goals for Clark County have not been met. Healthy People 2010 is a national initiative designed to increase the quality and health of Americans and to eliminate health disparities. Healthy People 2010 builds on earlier initiatives pursued over the past two decades. The 1979 Surgeon General’s Report, Healthy People, and Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives both established national health objectives and served as the basis for the development of state and community plans.

“The compilation of the information contained in this report and the previous volume give us a good snapshot of the health of our community, from infectious diseases to chronic health problems and risky behaviors. With this information, we are able to understand where we are in meeting the Healthy People 2010 goals, what programs we need to develop or where we need to make adjustments to better meet the public health needs of our community,” said Dr. Lawrence Sands, the health district’s chief health officer. “The ‘Clark County Health Status Report’ will assist the health district and our partner agencies in determining how to best focus our efforts and utilize our resources.”

The Clark County Health Status Report Volume I is also available on the health district website at www.SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict.org. For more information about the report contact the health district’s Office of Epidemiology at (702) 759-1300.

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The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.