Erie County has a slightly better health status than is being reported by the state or nation. However, this is a recent trend. Prior to 2007 data, our poor health status rates were above the state and nation. This will be one area where we will want to pay close attention to see whether the positive trend continues.

Insurance status is a strong indicator of whether or not a person will access care in a timely and appropriate manner. Lack of health insurance often means a person does not seek care when needed, or they wait until the problem worsens, and seek care in an emergency setting rather than through a primary care provider. Lack of insurance is correlated with poorer overall health status and lower life expectancy.

Erie County has slightly more adults with no personal health care provider than the state of Pennsylvania, but has a lower rate than the nation.

The leading causes of death in Erie County mirror that of the state and nation. We have seen improvements in our rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and pneumonia/influenza. However, we have seen our death rates increase for cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, kidney diseases, alzheimer’s disease, and septicemia. There are notable differences in leading cause of death depending on age. For example, accidents are actually the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 1-44. And, cancer is the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 45-64. While our rates are comparable with the state and nation, we remain below the goals set by Healthy People 2010, and should continue to support wellness and prevention programs to reduce these rates.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both men and women. It is measured by gathering height and weight data, and calculating a ratio. One is considered underweight if they have a BMIof less than 18.5; normal weight is a BMIbetween 18.5 and 24.9; overweight is a BMIbetween 25 and 29.9; and obese is a BMI 30 or greater. As an example, someone who is 5’8” is considered overweight if they weigh 164 pounds or more. And, they are considered obese if they weigh 197 pounds or more.

Smoking is harmful to your health. It is a proven cause of lung cancer. And yet, 26% of Erie County adults currently smoke cigarettes. In Erie County, smoking rates have steadily been above the state and nation for the last decade. And, while state and national rates have seen a slight decline since 2001, Erie’s trend line has remained constant.

Binge drinking is defined as having five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion for males and four or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion for females. The number of Erie County adults who admitted to binge drinking at least once in the past month decreased from 25% in 2001 to 22% in 2004, and 21% in 2007. While the trend line is heading in the right direction, it should be noted that Erie County’s rates remain above the state and nation, and fall short of the 6% goal established by Healthy People 2010.

Health statistics for children in Erie County is limited. Overweight and obese statistics are available for children grades K-6 as part of the Growth Screens/BMI-For-Age Percentiles reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health by education institutions.

Health statistics for children in Erie County is limited. Overweight and obese statistics are available for children grades K-6 as part of the Growth Screens/BMI-For-Age Percentiles reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health by education institutions.

Infant mortality is the number of children dying under a year of age divided by the number of live births that year. The infant mortality rate is an important measure of the well-being of infants, children, and pregnant women because it is associated with a variety of factors, such as maternal health, quality and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices.

Low birth weight refers to infants who weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth. Most normal babies weigh 5.5 pounds by 37 weeks of gestation. Intrauterine growth restriction refers to delayed growth within the uterus, which then leads to low birth weight. Several factors can cause delayed growth of a fetus. Babies with congenital anomalies or chromosomal abnormalities are often associated with low birth weights. Sometimes problems with the placenta can prevent it from providing adequate oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Infections during pregnancy that affect the fetus, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, and syphilis, may also affect the baby's birth weight. Risk factors in the mother that may contribute to low birth weight include multiple pregnancies, previous low birth-weight infants, poor nutrition, heart disease or hypertension, smoking, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, lead exposure, and insufficient prenatal care. Low birth weight is more common in first-time pregnancies and among pregnant women under the age of 17 and over the age of 35.

The American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) provides evidence-based practice for pregnant women. Prenatal visits during the first trimester, which include clinical evaluation and treatment, are highly recommended. Dating the baby and identifying risk factors are important to achieve in an early visit.

According to the March of Dimes, teenage birth rates in the United States rose in 2007 for the second year in a row. These increases follow a continuous decline between 1991 and 2005. Teenage birth rates in the United States are high, exceeding those in most developed countries.