HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released a new report that shows
Americans who live in the suburbs fare significantly better in many key
health measures than those who live in the most rural and most urban
areas.
The
25th annual statistical report on the Nation’s health is the first to
look at health status relative to communities’ level of urbanization.
The report
found that people
who live in the most rural and most urban areas have higher mortality
rates for working age adults than suburban residents.
Those who live in the suburbs of large metropolitan areas have the lowest
infant mortality rates and are more likely to have health insurance and
healthy lifestyles. These variations also frequently track other
demographic factors, such as income and race.
"We
want all Americans, regardless of where they live, to have an equal chance
for a healthy life," Secretary Thompson said. "Geography alone
does not determine health status, but this report performs a valuable
service by helping us understand where the most rural and urban
communities can target public health efforts to close the gaps."
The
report, "Health, United States, 2001, With Urban and Rural Health
Chartbook," documents differences in a wide-ranging set of health
characteristics for people residing in communities from the most rural to
the most urban. Among its specific findings:
Death
rates for working-age adults were higher in the most rural and most
urban areas. The highest death rates for children and young adults were
in the most rural counties.
Residents
of rural areas had the highest death rates for unintentional injuries
generally and for motor-vehicle injuries specifically. Homicide rates
were highest in the central counties of large metro areas.
Suburban
residents were more likely to exercise during leisure time and more
likely to have health insurance. Suburban women were the least likely to
be obese.
Both
the most rural and most urban areas had a similarly high percent of
residents without health insurance.
Teenagers
and adults in rural counties were the most likely to smoke. Residents of
the most rural communities also had the fewest visits for dental care.
The
chartbook presents detailed analysis of population characteristics, health
risk factors, health status indicators, and health care access measures
for residents of counties grouped by five urbanization levels. It also
examines patterns by region of the country.
Communities
at different urbanization levels differ in terms of age, race, ethnicity,
income, and other factors, which affect health status. For example,
residents of the most rural and the most urban areas are more likely to be
poor. Access to routine and emergency health care, racial and ethnic
makeup, air quality, and other factors also affect a community’s health
status.
"Clearly,
prevention plays a role in the urban-rural patterns we’ve
observed," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. "Those communities where citizens are
able to lead healthier life styles and adopt the healthy habits that
prevent illness and injury see the results in many tangible ways."
Overall,
the annual report shows that Americans are healthier today than 25 years
ago – with longer life expectancy, better infant survival, fewer smokers,
less hypertension, and lower cholesterol levels. Highlights of the overall
findings include:
In
1999 overall life expectancy matched the record high set in 1998 of
76.7 years, and reached a new high for black men of 67.8 years and 74.6
for white men.
The
top three causes of death in 1999--heart disease, cancer, and stroke--declined. Death rates for unintentional injuries and homicides were also
down.
In
the past decade, mothers receiving early prenatal care – which can
protect the health of mother and infant – increased from 76 to 83
percent. In 1999, 78 percent of children ages 19-35 months had received
the recommended combined series of vaccinations, up from 69 percent in
1994. Children below the poverty level were less likely to have been
vaccinated.
The chartbook’s
focused look at rural, urban, and suburban health will complement other
efforts at HHS to address the special health care needs of rural
communities and other underserved areas. In July, Secretary Thompson
announced the creation of a HHS Rural Task Force that will conduct a
Department-wide examination of how HHS programs can be strengthened to
better serve rural communities.
"This
type of detailed analysis of urban/rural patterns of health in America is
virtually unprecedented," said Dr. Edward J. Sondik, director of CDC's
National Center for Health Statistics, which prepares this annual report.
"This is the information that is needed to target efforts in
prevention and health care access."
"Health,
United States, 2001 With Urban and Rural Health Chartbook," is
available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs. Tables at the Web site will
be updated as new data become available, and users can sign up to be
notified of changes through a listserv.