LAWRENCE COUNTY - NOVEMBER 11, 2022- Lawrence County is facing some challenges in the next few years in terms of health care on many levels.
IU Health Bedford will be the only hospital serving Lawrence County in December; However, women will now have to travel 30 -40 miles for delivery of their newborns
With the recent announcement of the closure of St. Vincent Dunn Hospital, women's healthcare has become a larger concern for the community. In many ways women have entered a health care desert.
St. Vincent is set to close next month leaving physician and health care access even more challenging for Lawrence County residents
On Wednesday, Lawrence County Extension services held their annual meeting with Dr. Michael Wilcox Jr. Purdue Extension Assistant Director and Program Leader for Community Development who gave the attendees a view of how Lawrence County stacks up in terms of healthcare and wellness in the state. Lawrence County ranking 53 compared to Indiana's 92 counties.
Many attends Purdue Extension Annual Meeting on Wednesday
2021 County Health Rankings for the 92 Ranked Counties in Indiana County
Access to Primary Physicians in Lawrence County is a 2,840:1, Dentists 2,270:1, and Mental Health Providers 1,260:1 this is prior to the closure of St. Vincent Dunn Hospitals and their physician offices
1st Column - Heath Outcomes - 2nd Column - Health Factors
Adams 41 60
Franklin 26 40
Lawrence 48 33
Rush 43 59
Allen 49 28 Fulton 72 37
Madison 78 70
Scott 92 82
Bartholomew 22 11
Gibson 46 14
Marion 80 75
Shelby 53 50
Benton 25 27
Grant 88 69
Marshall 21 64
Spencer 15 18
Blackford 77 65 Greene 64 81
Martin 50 57 St.
Joseph 55 58
Boone 3 2
Hamilton 1 1
Miami 57 80 Starke 74 89
Brown 16 22
Hancock 5 5
Monroe 7 10
Steuben 12 16
Carroll 13 46
Harrison 37 44
Montgomery 38 25
Sullivan 66 87
Cass 68 62
Hendricks 2 3
Morgan 45 43
Switzerland 87 90
Clark 62 41
Henry 58 45
Newton 59 76
Tippecanoe 11 8
Clay 56 56
Howard 82 71
Noble 36 48
Tipton 23 12
Clinton 52 38
Huntington 31 23
Ohio 18 34 Union 71
49 Crawford 91 92
Jackson 60 36
Orange 79 73
Vanderburgh 70 47
Daviess 40 67
Jasper 33 39
Owen 63 72
Vermillion 65 86
Dearborn 30 32
Jay 83 63
Parke 28 83
Vigo 67 84
Decatur 32 24
Jefferson 61 53
Perry 42 51
Wabash 54 31
DeKalb 24 17
Jennings 85 77
Pike 47 42
Warren 4 29
Delaware 86 61
Johnson 6 9
Porter 14 19
Warrick 9 6
Dubois 10 4
Knox 76 54
Posey 17 15
Washington 73 74
Elkhart 27 52
Kosciusko 20 26
Pulaski 81 55
Wayne 89 78
Fayette 90 91
LaGrange 29 79
Putnam 19 30
Wells 34 13
Floyd 44 20
Lake 75 88
Randolph 84 68
White 39 21
Fountain 51 66LaPorte 69 85
Ripley 35 35
Whitley 8 7
For more information on how these ranks are calculated visit www.countyhealthrankings.or https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/sites/default/files/media/document/CHR2021_IN.pdf
Lawrence County Health issues continue to be Obesity, Diabetes, Smoking/Vaping, and Cancer.
Three behaviors physical inactivity, poor diet and tobacco use, results in cancer, heart disease, Type II Diabetes, and lung disease resulting in over 50 percent in deaths
" Purdue Extension is trying to accomplish is health and wellness training, which is becoming critical," said Dr. Wilcox.
Dr. Michael Wilcox Jr. talks about Health and Wellness in Lawrence County
The average life span in Lawrence County is two years less than the national average. According to Dr. Wilcox we cannot rely on hospitals to make things better.
And the answer is - Your address
Dr. Wilcox calling on the community to work together and find a way to support healthy living.
Lawrence County Statistics:
Ranked 53 out of 92 counties for health and wellness
Life expectancy is 76.2 years old (two years less than national average
Adults with obesity 38 percent
Lawrence County is one of two counties in the state to receive Obesity Grant.
Many rely on the financial and political areas to address the health care outcomes, there are other spokes in the wheel that can be used to change outcomes.
These include, natural, cultural, human behaviors, social behaviors, that can build programs that will reach a better outcome in the future.
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