Why is this important?
Quality of life is in large part based upon
good health and freedom from illness.
The treatment of chronic pain is one of the
most difficult challenges to local health care
providers. In addition, mental disorders such
as addiction and dementia are recognized as
particularly injurious to patients.
What is the measure?
Community health care providers were surveyed
about non-fatal health conditions that had
the greatest impact on local residents. Risky
sexual behavior, diabetes, poor physical conditioning,
chronic pain and mental health disorders are
important issues.
How are we doing?
Although Tuolumne County has a significantly
lower incidence of sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs) than other parts of California, STDs
continue to increase in both California and
in Tuolumne County. When local demographics
are considered, STDs in Tuolumne County occur
at rates similar to the California average.
While the incidence of diabetes is increasing
in California and the U.S., in Tuolumne County
and other foothill counties, diabetes continues
to affect nearly 6% of the population. The
local Me-Wuk population has nearly twice this
rate of diabetes, as do other Native American
tribes in California. The prevalence of diabetes
in the Latino population in California is approximately
8%.
Approximately 54% of Tuolumne County residents
are overweight, compared with 51% of Californians.
However, in the 2007 California physical fitness
tests, a significantly lower percent of local
students were obese compared with students
elsewhere in California.
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