INTERESTING HEALTH FACTS

2010 Health Facts

August 2010

Breast health (from OCHNA survey 2004)

• Approx. a quarter of women who had never been shown how to perform a breast self-exam identified themselves as ethnically Asian (Vietnamese, other Asian, or Pacific Islander).
• Of those who had never been shown how to perform a breast self-exam, 46.5% had a high school level education or less.
• 40.2% of those who had never been shown to perform a breast self-exam were ages 45 and above. Women from this age group have a much higher risk of developing breast cancer than younger women.
• Almost 95% of women who had performed a self-breast exam had done so within the past year. This suggests that many women who do perform BSEs, do so on at least an annual basis.

July 2010

Facts on HIV/AIDS by the world health organization (who)

1. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infects cells of the immune system and destroys or impairs their function. Infection results in the progressive deterioration of the immune system, breaking down the body's ability to fend off infections and diseases.
2. AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) refers to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any or more than 20 opportunistic infections or related cancers.
3. 33.4 million people live with HIV/AIDS worldwide, the vast majority of whom are in low and middle income countries
4. HIV/AIDS is the world's leading infectious killer claiming to date more than 27 million lives. An estimated 2 million people die every year from HIV/AIDS.

June 2010

Emergency Room Usage by Orange County Residents in 2007

• 14.9% (348,465 pop. est.) of OC adults surveyed reported that they went to the ER at least once in the past 12 months.
• Of the 14.9% who went to the ER at least once in the past 12 months: 58.3% were White, 27.8% were Hispanic/Latino, 4.1% were other Asian/Pacific Islander, 3.9% were Vietnamese, and 1.9% were Black.
• Males and Females are equally likely to have reported going to the ER (49% to 51% respectively), but females were nearly twice (61%) as likely to have gone more than once than men (38%).
• Adults over 65 years old (27.2%) were the most likely to have reported going to the ER, while adults 18-24 years of age (5.7%) are the least likely.
• Nearly a quarter (22.4%) of the 15% that went to the ER reported an High School level education or less.

May 2010

Mental Health Month

• In Orange County, 6.8% (158,971) of adults reported that they were diagnosed with emotional, mental, or behavioral health disorders by a doctor or other health care provider.
• Of those 6.8% of Orange County adults, 49.4% were diagnosed with depression (major and chronic), 16.5% were diagnosed with anxiety disorders, 6.7% were diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and 2.5% were diagnosed with schizophrenia.
• In Orange County, 26.3% (69,560) of adults who were told by a doctor that they had a disorder or that they should seek professional mental health did not receive treatment or counseling.
• In Orange County, females were one and a half times more likely to be told by a doctor that they had a mental health problem.

April 2010

The Vietnamese Community in Orange County

• Although Vietnamese comprised only 5.3% of the total Orange County population as of 2008, they are the largest Vietnamese community in the United States.
• 15% (19,508) of Vietnamese adults in Orange County report no health care coverage.
• Only 8.3% of Vietnamese adults 18 and older reported their health as excellent in the 2007 OCHNA survey.
• 29.9% (38,517) of Vietnamese adults stated they did have an ongoing or serious health condition requiring care.
• 94 percent (94.2%) of Vietnamese children have health care coverage.
• Almost half (48.2%) of Vietnamese children's health care coverage is through government plans, such as Medi-Cal and Health Families.
• 22.0% of Vietnamese children (ages 3 to 17), were most likely to be classified as obese.

March 2010

Physical Activity in Older Adults

According to the CDC, engaging in regular daily physical activity is very beneficial for older adults. Some of the benefits inlcude:

• A reduction in falls
• Lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, or diabetes
• Increased physical strength and stamina
• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Helps to maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

Results from the 2007 OCHNA survey indicate that nearly 3 of every 10 older adults (27.7% or 106,792) in Orange County did not participate in any physical activities, such as walking, running, gardening, or golf, in the past 30 days.

Of the 72.3% who did participate in physical activities:

• Almost two-thirds of older adults (65.4% or 177,899) were physically active less than seven times in the past 30 days. Only slightly over a quarter (28.4% or 77,375) of older adults participated in a physical activity 12 or more times in the past 30 days.
• More males (78.9% or 142,586) than females (66.5% or 136,141) participated in physical activity in the past 30 days.
• Older adults in the age categories 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 or over participated in physical activities at generally equal rates. There were no significant differences found between these groups.

February 2010

February is AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month and aimed at educating the public about preventing blindness and advancing vision care. It is often a myth that people can't do much about preventing sight loss, however regular eye exams and the proper use of safety eyewear can help prevent vision-related illnesses and damage.

• 716,562 O.C. Adults are estimated to lack vision coverage
• 3 of every 10 (31.3% or an estimated 716,562) of adult respondents did not have vision care coverage and another 2.1% (50,187) did not know if they had vision coverage.
• 10.0% of the adult population nationwide have experienced trouble seeing, even with glasses and contact lenses (Centers for Disease Control)
• Women are more likely to experience vision trouble than men (Centers for Disease Control)
• 44.7% (272,688) of those without vision coverage had annual household incomes under $50,000 a year.

January 2010

There are a variety of factors, besides diet and exercize, that can influence why some people are more prone to obesity than others. For example, genetic background, environment, and socioeconomic status all contribute to the likelihood of obesity. However, none of these directly cause obesity. Obesity is directly caused by the combination of two lifestyle factors: poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Many adults and children in Orange County are falling short of health experts' recommendations in these two crucial areas.

“Childhood” Obesity in Orange County

• 30% of OC children are estimated to be at risk for becoming overweight, or currently, overweight
• 57.1% (48,217) of OC children that are at risk, or currently, overweight are Hispanic/Latino
• 10.1% (25,130) of all OC teens, between 12 and 17 years of age, are estimated to be overweight

Contributing factors

• 36.0% (19,386) of overweight children spent 3 or more hours per weekday watching TV or playing video games
• 19.1% (13,753) children, 6 to 17, who engage in vigorous activities (running, biking, team sports) for only 30 minutes or less per week, were likely to be overweight compared to children who exercised at least 30 minutes, and at least 2 times per week
• 18.4% (6,046) of children (age 6-17), who ate fast food at least 5 days in the previous week, were likely to be overweight.