For Immediate Release:
April 5, 2010
Results are in for LA County’s Annual Checkup
State report finds county doing well on some health indicators, needs to improve on others
LOS ANGELES – A statewide report released by the California Department of Public Health today shows that Los Angeles County has one of the lowest per capita death rates in the state, ranking 14th out of the state’s 58 counties. The report, County Health Profiles 2010, ranks California’s counties based on mortality and morbidity rates from a variety of causes comparing them against the state average and the Healthy People 2010 nationwide goals.
“This report underscores that our collective efforts to improve residents’ health at the local level are having a positive impact,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “But, as the report shows, Los Angeles County continues to have above average rates of death due to diabetes, coronary heart disease, and specific vaccine-preventable illnesses such as influenza and pneumonia. Regrettably, we also have among the highest homicide rates in the state. We will continue to actively advocate for vaccinations, smoke-free environments, physical activity and healthy eating, and will continue education on simple lifestyle changes that can lead to longer and more fulfilling lives. Also, curbing violence is a shared priority of many parts of government and the private sector; we need to break the chain of violence, of which homicide is only the most visible part.”
Although fewer residents are dying from Alzheimer’s disease compared to the state average, Alzheimer’s disease continues to increase, accounting for a large disease burden among the county’s aging population. Rates of death due to stroke, all cancers, and lung cancer specifically were well below the state average, easily beating nationwide benchmarks for 2010. Other positives for Los Angeles County include high rates of breastfeeding among mothers with newborns, an important protector against many diseases, and low rates of unintentional injuries. Significantly, LA County reached all benchmarks established by the Healthy People 2010 National Objectives for the chronic diseases that were responsible for the majority of deaths in LA County.
There remains room for improvement. When compared to state and national statistics, a greater proportion of LA County residents suffered from fatal heart disease and diabetes, while fewer suffered from fatal stroke and cancer. Deaths due to diabetes in LA County hit 23.4 per 100,000 residents between 2006 and 2008, the 13th highest rate of California’s 58 counties and exceeding the state average of 21.1. LA County also suffered the 11th highest rate of fatal coronary heart disease in the state, with 151.1 deaths per every 100,000 residents, as compared to the state average of 137.1.
“All chronic diseases are impacted by key health behaviors such as the way we eat, how active we are, and whether we smoke. Improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and reducing tobacco use and the abuse of other substances are major goals for Public Health. “Also, the risk for chronic disease increases with age, resulting in a growing need for assistance from families or professional caregivers for those with late-stage diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. A healthier population now means a healthier population for the future.”
Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded two grants to LA County worth a total of $32.1 million through the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative. The funding, which will be allocated over a two-year period, provides $15.9 million for obesity, physical activity and nutrition projects, and $16.2 million for tobacco control and prevention projects.
“With this money, we will be able to target the sources of some of the most pressing health issues in LA County,” Dr. Fielding said. “Our county has one of the highest age-adjusted death rates due to diabetes in the state. With new programs promoting physical activity and better nutrition, we can address that issue head-on.”
The report’s mortality statistics rank counties based on the age-adjusted death rate, an adjustment designed to account for the age differences among various counties. The following statistics represent the number of deaths per 100,000 residents:
| Cause of Death | LA County | State Average | Healthy People 2010 Goal |
| All Causes | 624.4 | 666.4 | -- |
| All Cancer | 144.9 | 155.9 | 158.6 |
| Lung Cancer | 32.4 | 38.1 | 43.3 |
| Female Breast Cancer | 20.5 | 21.2 | 21.3 |
| Prostate Cancer | 20.8 | 21.8 | 28.2 |
| Diabetes | 23.4 | 21.1 | -- |
| Alzheimer’s Disease | 19.7 | 25.7 | -- |
| Coronary Heart Disease | 151.1 | 137.1 | 162.0 |
| Stroke | 36.9 | 40.8 | 50.0 |
| “Accidents” | 22.3 | 29.7 | 17.1 |
| Motor Vehicle Accidents | 8.6 | 10.3 | 8.0 |
| Suicide | 7.0 | 9.4 | 4.8 |
| Homicide | 8.8 | 6.3 | 2.8 |
| Drug-Induced Deaths | 7.4 | 10.6 | 1.2 |
| Influenza/Pneumonia | 24.1 | 19.6 | -- |
The report’s morbidity statistics, which are shown as cases per 100,000 residents, include:
| Disease | LA County | State average | Healthy People 2010 Goal |
| AIDS (patients 13 years of age or older) | 14.8 | 11.6 | 1.0 |
| Chlamydia | 431.1 | 377.7 | -- |
| Gonorrhea | 97.3 | 79.7 | 19.0 |
| Tuberculosis | 8.5 | 7.2 | 1.0 |
| Low Birthweight Infants | 7.4 | 6.9 | 5.0 |
A copy of the full report, County Health Profiles 2010, is available online on the California Department of Public Health’s website at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/. Information on the Healthy People 2010 goals can be found at http://www.healthypeople.gov/.
For information on obesity, physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco control and prevention, visit the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov. And to learn more about the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, visit http://www.hhs.gov/recovery and http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery.
The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises more than 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do, please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: LAPublicHealth.
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