By Mary Drier
Staff Writer and
Chris Aldridge
for the Advertiser
THUMB AREA — In a joint effort, the Thumb area’s three county health departments are applying for a $450,000 grant that would be used for chronic disease prevention services.
“The Tuscola County Health Department is applying for a Chronic Disease Coordinating Network (CDCN) for Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. The Tuscola County Health Department would be working with Huron County and Sanilac county health departments and would involve many community partners,” explained Gretchen Tenbusch, who is the health officer for both the Huron and Tuscola County Health Departments, in a report.
If the grant is awarded, it would be used to help reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
An overview of health in the three counties was complied. The 53-page profile uses statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). It outlines 16 goals in the areas of healthy children, youth and adults, improving access to health care and creating safe communities and a healthy environment.
“The goal of CDCN is to establish and/or build upon existing community partnerships to maximize resources, increase public health impact, minimize duplication and complement current community efforts related to implementing an prevention strategies around chronic disease,” explained report on the proposed project.
Also, health officials plan to focus on reducing the rate of women who smoke while pregnant — 2007 figures rank the Thumb to be twice the national average. Smoking while pregnant increases the prevalence of low birth weight, leaving infants at risk for becoming sick, developing infections and contracting long-term problems such as delayed motor and social development or learning disabilities, according to the CDC.
Some other objectives include reducing the infant mortality rate, reduce the rate of substantiated child abuse and neglect, and increase immunizations – especially after a recent resurgence of pertussis and measles.
The number of people opting for immunization waivers hinders is the reason those number have increased again, the report noted.
Tenbusch said the rate dropped years ago, when the health department started requiring residents to see a public health nurse to obtain a waiver.
“That’s now looking to implemented statewide,” she said.
Tenbusch explained others in the community could use the data to help reduce child abuse and domestic violence.
Some of the other statistics in the report that show the need for such a program shows: the median household income in Tuscola county from 2009 – 2013 is $43,039, Huron County’s is $40204, and Sanilac’s is $40,478. The state’s median income is $48,411.
According to Healthy MI Plan data, the three counties have an estimated 5,903 people who were eligible for enrollment. According to Kids Count 2013, Tuscola ranked 40 out of 83 counties with 36 percent of children ages birth to five years old eligible for free or educed lunches, averages 57 percent eligible in three counties.
An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can contribute to or aggravate many chronic diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
In the 2003 survey, 9 percent of adults in the three county area indicated they had been told by a doctor they have diabetes, and in the 2014 report that had increased to 14 percent.
In the 2011 – 2013 self-reported obesity survey, shows 32.9 percent reported they were obese, 39.5 were told they have high blood pressure; and that Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola ranked fourth, fifth, and ninth respectively for heart disease hospitalization.
All three counties are considered medically and dentally under-served with 1,720 residents to one primary care physician in Huron County, 2,663 residents to one primary care physician in Sanilac County, and 3,695 residents to one primary care physician in Tuscola County. The statewide average is 1,268 residents to one primary care physician.
“We’re gearing up in our ability to impact and change,” Tenbusch said.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.