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MAY 17 2015 COMMUNITY HEALTH REPORT The strength of our community depends on you This Counts Revolution: A federal report shows how our community stacks up against others across Indiana and Michigan, as well as the entire United States. In some respects, we’re on the right track, but in others, we have a lot Free health of work to do. Many local leaders are stepping up to say it’s time we get moving. Every little bit we can do counts toward a healthier life. and wellness event Saturday, May 30 Published by: Details on St. Joseph County Health Department Elkhart County Health Department Page 23 LaPorte County Health Department Berrien County Health Department COMMUNITY HEALTH REPORT South Bend TRIBUNE I SUNDAY, May 17, 2015 I 2 contents Rankings focus on quality of life .....................3 Our health is at stake Health oficers speak out .......4 For the past two decades, communities we serve. Cultural shift ...........................5 the health of our community We are all in this togeth- has been on a steady de- er. The poor health seen in Local resources ....................6-7 cline. According to the Robert our community is a result of Wood Johnson Foundation’s a continuing cycle that can Health drives our economy ....8 health rankings, St. Joseph only be broke when we all County was the 26th healthi- decide to change. This is a est county in Indiana in 1991. moment for all of us to step Closing the gap ......................9 Today, we have fallen to 41st up to the challenge and make on the list. What makes this real progress in improving 5 changes you can decline more unsettling is our individual and community make today ...........................10 while we sit in the middle of health. Help us make the Mi- the Indiana rankings, Indiana chiana of tomorrow a healthi- as a whole is one of the er place for everyone. Simple swaps unhealthiest states in the for healthy snacks ................11 country. In St. Joseph County, 21 per- Albert L. Gutierrez, FACHE, MBA How healthy are we? ....... 12-13 cent of our adults smoke, 29 President & Chief Executive Oficer, percent are obese, 25 percent Saint Joseph Health System are reportedly inactive, and Support from others helped 19 percent of adults admit to her quit smoking ............. 14-15 excessive drinking. A closer look at our rankings shows Taking control that 37 percent of all driving of diabetes ...................... 16-17 deaths are alcohol related. When we look at the counties Kim Wilson, surrounding St Joseph, the President & Publisher, Small changes, South Bend Tribune numbers are equally bleak. big weight loss ................ 18-19 As leaders in Michiana, we recognize it’s time for us to Mental illness doesn’t hold ourselves accountable ........................20-21 to improve the health of the deine him This Counts Revolution ....22-23 COMMUNITY HEALTH REPORT South Bend TRIBUNE I SUNDAY, May 17, 2015 I 3 Rankings focus on ‘quality of life’ A starting point to improve our county’s health By Alice Culp Most of our region’s counties South Bend Tribune have good access to health care, Community leaders keep looking but most also have a higher per- for strategies to jump-start the local centage of adult smokers, teen economy. birth rates and excessive drinkers Efforts are made to spark innova- than the U.S. median. Most are tion, entrepreneurship and invest- failing in air quality and are at or ment. Other initiatives are trying to above the U.S. median for physi- prepare workers for the future. cal inactivity. Regionally, only two But when it comes to attracting counties — Elkhart and St. Joseph business and workers to the region, — were less obese than the U.S. one component is often mentioned median. This greatly impacts a only in passing because it’s dificult county’s overall rating, since obe- to implement — boosting the overall sity contributes to other conditions health of the community. like diabetes and cardiovascular It is both a medical and an eco- disease. nomic problem. All these factors play into the “Ultimately, if you don’t have most important health outcome, the healthy workers, you don’t have premature death rate, Johnson said. a healthy economy,” said Robin Social and economic factors also Vida, director of health education inluence it. for the St. Joseph County Health “Things like income and poverty Department. She explains that health really matter in health,” Johnson plays a big role in workers’ atten- said. “It affects families’ access to dance and productivity. affordable housing, a living wage Alysia Palm, of South Bend, plays disc golf at Rum Village Park in South Bend. Indiana And the region does have health to be able to buy healthy food and residents are among the most inactive, but we can make a big difference by going outside issues, according to the Robert their ability to pay for good child and doing something. Tribune Photos/ROBERT FRANKLIN Wood Johnson Foundation. The care.” New Jersey-based nonproit produc- Several local counties had a broad- es an annual County Health Rankings er disparity between low-income track their progress. report which compares nearly all the and high-income earners than the But no organization can make a dif- nation’s counties based on the same U.S. median. And the unemployment ference alone, Vida said. It has to be 30 health factors such as diet and rate, while slightly better than several a collaboration. exercise, access to clinical care, edu- years ago, is still an issue. In fact, for Locally, there is a movement to do cation, unemployment and physical the irst time in several years, most of just that called the Community Health environment. Indiana’s surrounding states, includ- Improvement Alliance. It is composed “The idea is to identify those ing Michigan, have lower unemploy- of community leaders, educators, health factors that we can inluence ment rates. business professionals, civic groups, and develop strategies to address In a way, a healthy community is agencies and health care organi- them,” said Stephanie Johnson, an something of a chicken and egg zations in St. Joseph and Elkhart associate researcher with the Univer- problem. counties. The health department, as sity of Wisconsin Population Health Low-paying, low-skilled jobs and a neutral party, facilitates and hosts Institute, which helps compile the higher unemployment result in a bimonthly discussions where the foundation’s study. population with physical and mental group can talk about the goals it is The study ranked St. Joseph Coun- health issues. At the same time, the trying to accomplish, resources it has ty 41st out of Indiana’s 92 counties. population’s health is going to affect and how it can work together to build This is not good, especially since whether companies decide to open, successful programs. a United Health Foundation study relocate or expand in the region. “Everyone deinitely bought in,” ranked Indiana 41st in the nation This is why County Health Rankings Vida said. “We’re working for the are important. The data gives com- same people. We need to move the A group plays basketball at Coquillard Park when it comes to health. Only nine in South Bend. Physical activity is not only states are worse. Michigan is a bit munities a starting point to improve needle together. Stop competing fun but crucial to living a healthy life. better at 34th. their outcomes and provides a way to and start doing.” COMMUNITY HEALTH REPORT South Bend TRIBUNE I SUNDAY, May 17, 2015 I 4 County health oicers speak out We asked the county health oficers of several surrounding counties for their thoughts on the health ratings and what we should do about them. Here are the answers of those who responded. Dr. Dale Deardorff Tony Mancuso Dr. Daniel Nafziger Dr. Frederick Johansen Interim health oficer at the LaPorte County Health Elkhart County Health Medical director for Berrien St. Joseph County Health Department administrator Department health oficer County Health Department Department and Van Buren/Cass District Health Department From your observations, get a strategy together, tactics that vironment, like air and water, is also erty. The Horizon Education Alliance what health factors are the we agree on, then you get move- good; we are 22nd in the state. is busy in Elkhart County working Q biggest problems in your ment going forward. That’s what with our schools in impacting edu- county? And what has the county we’re looking for with our partners in Dr. Daniel Nafziger cational factors that can eventually improved upon? the community health alliance that translate into better health. came out of the evaluation that was There are a variety of health done in 2011. About 50 to 60 agen- behaviors that are challenges Dr. Frederick Johansen Dr. Dale Deardorff cies not just in St. Joe County, but in A in Elkhart County. Smoking re- Elkhart County, as well, have come mains the leading cause of prevent- I’m happy that we’re doing The state health department together and are working behind the able death in the United States, and better than all of our com- objectives are reducing obe- scenes and working on issues and our smoking rate of 20 percent is still A parison counties but one. A sity, reducing the smoking making some inroads in those areas. too high. Like many other commu- Preventable hospital stays and dia- rate and reducing neonatal mor- nities, our obesity rate and physical betic monitoring are better in both tality. Those are certainly the ones Tony Mancuso inactivity rates are also too high. Our counties than they were previously.

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