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Mapping Our Way to a Healthier Clinton County
Written by Laurie Williams, Coordinator of the Health Education Unit,Clinton County Health Department
June 2010 Issue
We receive health messages on a daily basis, through the news, from our friends and at our place of work. If you ask people questions about proper nutrition, the need to be physically active and mention, the use of tobacco, most would be able to “talk” healthy on each of those topics. Our society has learned the health nomenclature well. Sometimes when using the phrase Mapping Our Way to a Healthier Clinton County, people ask if we are lost. The response is yes, we are. We have completely lost our way as to how and why each of us needs to stay healthy. This is obvious when we look at the latest statistics for Clinton County. According to the New York State Expanded Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, for July 2008 – June 2009, Clinton County residents can do a lot better when it comes to staying healthy.
In Clinton County, 21.7% of adult residents are current smokers. This compares with the New York State percentage of 17%. Overall, the state has set a goal of 12% by 2013. In Clinton County, 33% of adults aged 18 and older are obese. This compares with New York State at 23.1%. The 2013 goal for this percentage is 15%. For diabetes, Clinton County adults aged 18 and older who have been diagnosed (told by their doctor and excluding pregnant women) is 10%. New York State is 9% and the 2013 goal is 5.7%.
Is there any good news for the health of our county? Yes, there certainly is! Seventy-eight point (78.2%) percent of us get an annual influenza (flu) vaccination each year, exceeding the state rate. For women over the age of 40, 82.4% had a mammogram in the past two years, exceeding the state rate, and 84.3% of women over the age of 18 had a pap test in the past three years, again exceeding the state.
Can we do more to get and stay healthy, of course! By providing opportunities for people to increase their level of physical activity, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduce/eliminate tobacco use exposure, we can be a healthier community. Sound easy? The concepts surrounding these healthy efforts are simple; however, the process of developing and implementing the steps necessary for the actions to occur can be challenging for a community.
These changes need to come in the form of policy, system changes and built environment changes in all areas of our community. Change can be as simple as implementing a worksite meeting food policy that supports and encourages nutritious food choices at company meetings. Local schools can increase the amount of time dedicated to student and staff physical activity opportunities. Local physicians can flag all patients that they see who smoke and implement a referral system to link them with the New York State Smoker’s Quitline. Some might say these changes seem too simple to be effective, but when all school, worksites and medical providers implement these changes, together, they can have a huge impact on the health of our residents.
The time is now to move from fragmented well-meaning intentions to actions based on a well laid out comprehensive community plan. Join these community efforts to create healthier opportunities in Clinton County, where we live, work and play, for now and for future generations. It will take time and effort, but the return on our health and community will be tenfold. 
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