How healthy are we in San Juan County? Good and bad news

A recently released report prepared by the San Juan County Health and Community Services Department shows that residents of San Juan County exercise more, have lower rates of obesity, diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases, and that teens here are less likely to smoke than residents of Washington or the United States as a whole.

However, the report also shows that county residents are more likely to be without health insurance, have untreated medical problems, and that more adults smoke and engage in binge drinking than elsewhere in the state or nation.

The report, "The Health of San Juan County," cites the most recent available “health indicators” to assess the county’s public health status. Among its findings: San Juan County is the “Best in the State” for “Years of Healthy Life.” On the average, a 20-year-old in San Juan County can look forward to 57 more years of healthy life; that’s five years more than the average statewide and nine years more than the national average.

But it also reports that studies in 2004 and 2006 found approximately 15 percent of the County’s population reported that they had needed to see a doctor in the past year, but could not due to the cost. That’s two percentage points higher than the statewide figure. And while 83 percent of all Washington residents reported having health insurance during those years, only 70 percent of San Juan County residents reported having coverage.

The Health of San Juan County includes information and advice on vaccinations, exercise, diet and more; along with statistics on topics ranging from dental care and mental health to septic tank failures. For the full report, visit www.sanjuanco.com/news/Countynews.aspx?NewsItem=76

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