Since 1995, communities throughout Wisconsin have developed and implemented local health plans to address health conditions affecting their residents. Wisconsin statutes require local health departments to regularly and systematically collect, analyze, and publish the health status of their community. In Taylor County, we followed the eleven health priorities identified in Healthiest Wisconsin 2010 and identified the following priorities for Taylor County.
Overview of the Community Health Assessment Process
LOCAL PRIORITIES:
Adequate & Appropriate Nutrition - Overweight, Obesity & Lack of Physical Activity
Access to Primary & Preventative Health Services
Alcohol & Other Substance Use & Addiction
Adequate and Appropriate Nutrition - Overweight, Obesity and Lack of Physical Activity
Poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, Wisconsin, and Taylor County. These diseases and conditions include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, overweight, obesity, anemia, malnutrition, and some cancers.
Regular physical activity makes important contributions to health and well being and helps to assure a healthy weight. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of certain chronic disease including high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis.
Access to Primary & Preventative Health Services
Access to and affordability of primary and preventive services is crucial to a community’s health. Not only are those services that treat illness and injury vital, but those that promote health and well-being are also an important component of health in the community.
Lack of access to care results in short and long term adverse health consequences, including: higher mortality rates and years of productive life lost, greater rates of more advanced and difficult to treat disease (e.g., heart disease, cancer and stroke), and increased rates of preventable disease (e.g., dental and osteoporosis). Inadequate access to health care services contributes to an overall poorer health status among the medically underserved (Lewis & Altman, 2000).
Alcohol & Other Substance Use & Addiction
Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and is a risk factor for many health and societal problems. Alcohol use is very common in our society. Drinking alcohol has immediate effects that can increase the risk of many harmful health conditions.
Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. Each year drug abuse results in around 40 million serious illnesses or injuries among people in the United States. Drug abuse also plays a role in many major social problems, such as drugged driving, violence, stress, and child abuse.
Other Health Priorities
The Community Health Improvement Process examined the health of Taylor County citizens based on Wisconsin’s eleven 2010 health priorities. Data was reviewed in relationship to state and national 2010 goals. For each health priority, an inventory was completed of current programs, services, and initiatives that support the 2010 health priority and related goals. All priorities influence both health and illness and each have a role in behavioral, environmental, and social aspects. Continued community efforts addressing these priorities are vital. They need support and growth to assure the continued improvement in the health of citizens in our county.
