Our Picture of Health 1998:
Focusing on Community Health to the Year 2000

CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Social Environment

Positive Trends

  • Since Mesa County instituted mail-in ballots, voter turnout has increased.
  • 70% of the population believe they have a say in community decisions.
  • 40% attended a public meeting in the past year.
  • 90% have neighbors they can turn to in time of trouble.
  • 31% of residents volunteer regularly.

Uncertain Trends

  • Only 52% of adults report belonging to a group that provides social support or a sense of belonging.

Negative Trends

  • Aggravated assault is up.
  • Larceny offenses are up.
  • Adult arrests are up for DUI, drug abuse and liquor violations.
  • Juvenile arrests are up for larceny, liquor violations, and drug abuse.
  • 3.4% have been victims of violent crime in the past five years, compared to 2.2% in 1995.
  • 3.1% have been victims of domestic violence in past five years, compared to 2.7% in 1995.
Summary of Findings 1997 Risk Behavior Survey

This is a summary of the 1997 Risk Behavior Survey for Mesa County. The survey asked 126 questions of 1,000 adults in Mesa County.

Many questions were comparable to those asked in 1995 in Mesa County and can also be compared to national surveys. Some questions were new to the 1997 survey.

Comparison to 1994 Mesa County Survey

Favorable changes

  • reduced high stress
  • reduced arthritis/rheumatism
  • less deafness/trouble hearing
  • less skin cancer
  • lower risk of getting AIDS
  • more cholesterol testing
  • more adult routine physician care
  • more pneumonia vaccination among older adults
  • more breast cancer screening
  • more testicular self examination
  • more seat belt usage
  • more child helmet usage

Unfavorable changes

  • more asthma
  • more activity limitations
  • more workdays missed due to personal illness or injury
  • more days of poor physical health
  • higher overweight prevalence
  • more sciatica/chronic back pain
  • more chronic lung disease
  • more ulcers/gastrointestinal bleeding
  • more with cost as a prohibitive factor in receiving medical care

Mesa County Compared to the United States

Favorable comparisons

  • less high stress
  • less heavy smoking
  • less secondhand smoke at home
  • less chronic drinking
  • more flu shots among older adults
  • more testicular examination
  • more testicular self-examination
  • fewer people report transportation as a prohibitive factor in receiving medical care

Unfavorable comparisons

  • more days per month of poor physical health
  • more workdays missed due to personal illness or injury
  • fewer smoking cessation attempts
  • less adult routine dental care
  • less child routine dental care
  • more firearms in the home

Mesa County compared to Healthy People 2000 Goals

Met goals for:

  • blood pressure testing
  • cholesterol testing
  • taking action to control high cholesterol
  • breast cancer screening

Did not meet goals for:

  • proportion of population whose activities are limited by health problems
  • overweight prevalence
  • use of food labels
  • leisure-time physical inactivity
  • smoking prevalence
  • taking action to control high blood pressure
  • seat belt usage
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