Jill Avery Stoth, Chief Operating Officer, Public Policy and Economic Development Institute, said:
Jill Avery-Stoth, chief operating officer of the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, said this week that many factors contribute to community well-being, which is why health indicators include so many unique datasets. said to be the reason.
“They range from childhood lead testing to cancer mortality, hospital access to health insurance coverage,” said Avery-Stoth. “This information indicates the types of care and support that should be prioritized in the community.”
Many chronic health conditions are associated with related health factors such as behavior and lifestyle.
Avery Stoth said smoking and drinking are linked to heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure, among others. They are more prevalent in areas of Lackawanna, Luzern, and Wyoming counties than in the surrounding areas (Pike, Monroe, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties) or throughout the Commonwealth.
More specifically, Avery-Stoth found that both regions had consistently higher rates of adult smokers compared to the federation as a whole, with 18% statewide, compared to 23% in the three-county region, In the four-county area, it was 21%, he said. The period from 2014 to 2021.
“In addition to measures of healthy and unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles, it’s important to understand the location and presence of health systems within communities,” said Avery-Stoth. “The impact of health care on communities depends on the ability of residents to access health care physically and economically. It needs to be considered along with other factors such as the provider’s cultural sensitivity.”
Lackawanna, Lucerne and Wayne counties have 14 hospitals, including general, specialty and federal hospitals. The daily rate for a private room is $2,751 in Lackawanna County, $2,525 in Luzern County, and $730 in Wayne County. The number of general hospital beds relative to population is relatively consistent across the three counties, with 2.8 beds per 1,000 inhabitants in Lackawanna County, 2.7 beds per 1,000 inhabitants in Luzerne County, and 2.1 beds per 1,000 inhabitants in Wayne County. It has become.
Although the number of beds per 1,000 residents aged 65 and over has declined, the number of nursing homes in the region has remained flat. Still, Avery-Stoth said Lackawanna and Lucerne counties have more nursing home beds per 1,000 seniors than the state as a whole.
“Of course, it’s impossible to fully understand health and healthcare in northeastern Pennsylvania without considering the impact of COVID-19,” Avery Stoth said. “Lackawanna County emergency department visits decreased 23% from 2018 to 2020 and increased 14% in 2021. , but hit a low in 2020. Wayne County saw a decline in emergency department visits.” 17% increase from 2019 to 2020, 8% recovery in 2021. ”
Since 2020, emergency department visits have also declined significantly. At the same time, the rate of ER visits leading to hospitalization is increasing. Avery-Stoth said this was likely because many patients with less urgent concerns avoided hospitals during the pandemic.
