Modesto Bee Article
By Ken Carlson, Modesto Bee Staff Writer
last updated: November 21, 2008 02:15:48 AM
A ground-level survey being released today found that many county residents are going without basic needs, such as food and health care, and live with a sense of hopelessness.
The 2008 Stanislaus County Community Health Assessment drew on more than 2,800 face-to-face surveys to assess the general health of county residents from young people to senior citizens.
It not only collected data on chronic disease but also considered the mental well-being of people in underserved areas of the county. Some results:
Forty-two percent of respondents said they went without basic needs such as food, clothes and health care.
One-third of those needing health care in the past 12 months were unable to get it.
More than a third of the residents were overweight.
Among seniors who took the survey, one-fourth said they felt sad or hopeless almost every day, causing them to stop usual activities.
The research commissioned by the county Health Services Agency mainly took the pulse of residents in lower-income areas of the county. Local agencies and community organizations conducted the surveys at various locations across the county. The study included data from the U.S. Census Bureau, other government agencies and academic institutions.
The Health Services Agency used funds from health insurers, local hospitals and other agencies to pay for the $100,000 study, which will be presented this morning at Modesto Centre Plaza. A professional research firm was hired to assist with the study.
Dr. John Walker, county public health officer, said he was struck by the information on senior citizens. It shows that depression is a significant issue among them.
The study suggests that many seniors are living in desperate conditions. According to the report, the average Social Security benefit of $12,077 per year was not enough for a senior to live on in 2008. Yet, it's the only income for one in three seniors in California.
Walker said the surveys provide valuable information to local government and nonprofit agencies for addressing needs in the community. In the past, local agencies had to rely on research conducted outside the county or academic studies using old data.
The local surveys give a clearer picture of health insurance coverage among underserved populations in the county. The results show more than 35 percent of adults surveyed did not have health insurance.
By contrast, the 2005 California Health Interview Survey, a statewide telephone survey, said the uninsured rate countywide was 13 percent.
Walker said that random telephone surveys miss people living in rural areas, as well as people who don't have a telephone or use only cell phones.
The local research revealed high rates of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure (47 percent), high cholesterol (36 percent) and diabetes (28 percent).
Of the respondents who said they were unable to access health care, the most frequently stated reasons were lack of insurance or affordability, or they didn't know where to go for care.
Dr. Del Morris, medical director for the county health clinics, said the survey results are what you would expect in an economically distressed region. People who live in poverty tend to have higher stress levels and that contributes to hypertension and other medical conditions, he said.
"In my clinic, patients tend to go on and off of insurance plans," he said. "For a period of time they have coverage for medications and they don't during other parts of the year."
The 2008 health information can be compared with a previous community health assessment completed in 2004.
Walker leads a partnership of local agencies and community organizations in developing strategies to address health needs in the county.
Morris said the answer probably goes beyond spending more money on health care. More needs to be done to improve the economy, air quality and educational level in the area, he said.
"We know life expectancy is directly affected by poverty, environment and educational levels," he said. "Those things that are broader in scope need to be addressed."
The Stanislaus County Community Health Assessment 2008 can be downloaded from www.healthierstanislaus.org.
Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at kcarlson@modbee.com or 578-2321.
