Below you can read our findings based on our various sources of data. If you would like to dig deeper into a specific subject, select a category from the menu to the left below Community Dashboard.
Where We Live Matters: County-Level and Community-Level Health Indicators
April 2014
Spring is here! We have warmer weather, we’ve celebrated National Public Health Week (April 7-13) and we have exciting data to look forward to. As the last of the snow melts and we step outside into our neighborhoods, April is a great time to discuss the role our communities play in our overall health and wellbeing. At the end of March, the 2014 County Health Rankings were released, revealing how each county in each state ranks on the factors that influence health as well as health outcomes. In addition to the local community data we provide, Public Health Management Corporation’s (PHMC) Community Health Data Base (CHDB) team serves as the state team lead for the Pennsylvania County Health Rankings. This article uses data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin’s County Health Rankings as well as data from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, and the US Census to examine the ways that where we live, learn, work and play are tied to our opportunities to be healthy.
The Health Status of Men in Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health Behaviors and Access to Care
June 2014
June is Men’s Health Month, which is celebrated across the country with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities. The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Men die 5.2 years earlier than women, on average.1 Men are at higher risk for early death because a higher percentage of men have no health care coverage and men may have less healthy lifestyles, including risk-taking at younger ages.2 Men in Southeastern Pennsylvania face similar barriers to care as men nationally.
A Look at Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Access in Southeastern Pennsylvania
March 2014
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to bring attention to the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. According to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, Americans eat less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, whole-grans, dairy products, and oils.[1] At the same time, American diets exceed the recommended intake levels of calories from solid fats and added sugars, refined grains, sodium and saturated fat.[2]
Older Adults in Southeastern Pennsylvania: A Look at Key Household, Neighborhood and Wellbeing Factors
May 2014
Each May, this country celebrates Older Americans Month to recognize and celebrate older Americans for their contributions and provide them with information to help them stay healthy and active.1 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults 65 years of age and older accounted for 13.7% of the total population as of July 2012—an estimated 43.1 million adults. The projected population of those 65 and older in year 2060 is 92 million.2 With the growing older adult population in this country, it is important to assess and address the diversity of needs of this population. Older Americans Months allows us to do just that and raise awareness about the critical issues impacting older adults in this country.
Access to Dental Care Among SEPA Children
February 2014
Access to dental care remains an important issue as more than 14% of children in the United States between the ages of three and five are affected by tooth decay [1]. Untreated tooth decay has been associated with a failure to thrive, and children with dental problems lose an estimated 52 million school hours annually. Poor oral health often continues into adulthood with the potential to affect speech, nutrition, economic productivity, and quality of life [2]. In recognition of February as National Children's Dental Health Month, the following presents selected findings from the 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey related to children's dental care access. The SEPA Household Health Survey is a survey of 10,000 households in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties conducted by PHMC's Center for Data Innovation.