Valley, Santa Clarita areas face problems with illness, poverty
Millhaven
Valley, Santa Clarita areas face problems with illness, poverty
BY SUSAN ABRAM, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/23/2007 11:11:30 PM PDT
Residents in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys are poorer,
mostly unhealthier and visiting emergency rooms for mental illness
more than they were three years ago, according to a report to be
released Wednesday.
While obesity and diabetes rates have grown steadily over the past
several years, mental health needs are surging, with more residents
being diagnosed with various forms of psychosis at area hospitals.
"The mental health diagnosis of (schizophrenia) is now among the top
five (inpatient diagnoses) among adults and children," said Ronald
Sorensen, director of the Providence Center for Community Health
Improvement.
"It raises a concern that there's not a lot of access to mental health
services. And mental health issues keep moving up on the list of
needs. If residents don't have access to a mental health provider,
what ends up happening is they go to the hospital."
The study by the Valley Care Community Consortium, a group of health
and mental health providers and schools, ties health to household
incomes, education, race and ethnicity, and neighborhood crime rates.
Among the findings, households that earn less than $25,000 a year have
increased from 17 percent to 23 percent
of the total in the San Fernando Valley and from 9 percent to 11
percent of Santa Clarita Valley households.
Diabetes accounted for 21 percent of deaths in 2004, up from 19
percent in 1999 in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.
Obesity rates in the two areas also rose to 21 percent in 2004 from 19
percent in 1999.
Funding for the study was provided by Kaiser Permanente, the
California Endowment and Northridge Hospital Medical Center.
The community consortium will meet Wednesday to release the study's
findings, identify causes for the general decline in health in the two
areas and find solutions.
Other key findings:
In one of the few positive improvements, asthma rates among children
age 17 and younger fell in the past three years, from 8.7 percent of
the total to 7.9 percent.
In Glendale, nearly 12 percent of the residents have heart disease.
The city also has the San Fernando Valley's highest rate of asthma and
diabetes.
While the number of uninsured adults decreased from 23.6 percent to 19
percent over three years, most adults still don't have a regular
medical physician.
The number of residents age 65 to 84 will increase by 35 percent in
the Santa Clarita Valley in the next five years.
"One of the main concerns is that the household income levels below
$25,000 are growing, so how can we make health care affordable if the
salaries are going down, and yet costs for health care continue to
rise?" asked Joni Novosel, program director for the Valley Care
Community Consortium.
Obesity also remains a top health crisis.
"That is a real concern because that brings in a lot of issues, such
as heart problems and diabetes," Novosel said.
Health experts and community leaders are expected to meet Wednesday to
discuss the progress made since 2004, as well as where more attention
is needed.
"This study is a picture of the San Fernando and Santa Clarita
valleys," Sorensen said. "We'll discuss what we have, and how to delve
deeper."
Usene...@the-domain-in.sig
<1185315999.0...@g12g2000prg.googlegroups.com>,
mill...@intergate.com says...
> http://www.dailynews.com/ci_6447594
>
> Valley, Santa Clarita areas face problems with illness, poverty
> BY SUSAN ABRAM, Staff Writer
> Article Last Updated: 07/23/2007 11:11:30 PM PDT
>
> Residents in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys are poorer,
> mostly unhealthier and visiting emergency rooms for mental illness
> more than they were three years ago, according to a report to be
> released Wednesday.
>
> While obesity and diabetes rates have grown steadily over the past
> several years, mental health needs are surging, with more residents
> being diagnosed with various forms of psychosis at area hospitals.
>
> "The mental health diagnosis of (schizophrenia) is now among the top
> five (inpatient diagnoses) among adults and children," said Ronald
> Sorensen, director of the Providence Center for Community Health
> Improvement.
Have you ever BEEN to the San Fernando Valley? Like worked
there, or spent lots of time there? Driven around the grid of
unbelievably low-value, tedious, boring, Valley-Stuff? In the
nasty heat and smog of the summertime?
Then you would understand the mental health dangers.
> The study by the Valley Care Community Consortium, a group of health
> and mental health providers and schools, ties health to household
> incomes, education, race and ethnicity, and neighborhood crime rates.
>
> Among the findings, households that earn less than $25,000 a year have
> increased from 17 percent to 23 percent
> of the total in the San Fernando Valley and from 9 percent to 11
> percent of Santa Clarita Valley households.
So, a bunch of folks from Compton are "movin' on up"?
> Diabetes accounted for 21 percent of deaths in 2004, up from 19
> percent in 1999 in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.
>
> Obesity rates in the two areas also rose to 21 percent in 2004 from 19
> percent in 1999.
They are so miserable in the Valley, that they resort to
overeating to distract themselves from the hopelessness and
boredom.
> In one of the few positive improvements, asthma rates among children
> age 17 and younger fell in the past three years, from 8.7 percent of
> the total to 7.9 percent.
What, is the price of petrol reducing the smog, or something?
> In Glendale, nearly 12 percent of the residents have heart disease.
> The city also has the San Fernando Valley's highest rate of asthma and
> diabetes.
Personally, I don't consider Glendale (or Burbank) as part of the
Valley. It's a different vibe. Note that I didn't say a
completely good vibe.
> While the number of uninsured adults decreased from 23.6 percent to 19
> percent over three years, most adults still don't have a regular
> medical physician.
>
> The number of residents age 65 to 84 will increase by 35 percent in
> the Santa Clarita Valley in the next five years.
That's because there is nothing to do there, but sit around
getting old.
> Obesity also remains a top health crisis.
>
> "That is a real concern because that brings in a lot of issues, such
> as heart problems and diabetes," Novosel said.
Maybe they are trying to hasten their departure from the burning,
noxious Hell that is known as The San Fernando Valley?
> "This study is a picture of the San Fernando and Santa Clarita
> valleys," Sorensen said. "We'll discuss what we have, and how to delve
> deeper."
Don't bother. No matter how deeply you delve, EVERY part of the
Valley has exactly the same vibe.
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