Indicators 2024: Health-related issues are often complex

WILKES-BARRE — Jill Avery-Stoss, chief operating officer at The Institute, this week said health and health care indicators include metrics on physical and mental health, health resources, insurance coverage and healthy and unhealthy habits.

“At a time when many area residents are living with low or moderate incomes, healthy choices are not always top priorities — nor are they affordable,” Avery-Stoss said. “Issues such as food insecurity also complicate efforts to improve population health.”

Avery-Stoss said health-related issues are complex, and they are often affected by multiple factors. For example, the rate of death from cancer is partially affected by behavior (such as smoking, which is known to cause various types of cancer) and by health care (cancer death rates decline as access to the latest treatments improves).

Although the cancer death rates in the region have fluctuated in recent years, the annual average number of deaths in the region exceeds the statewide percentage.

Avery-Stoss said the number of drug overdose deaths in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties also fluctuated, though the Pennsylvania rates increased from 2018 to 2022.

In both counties and Pennsylvania, the rate of opioid prescriptions decreased steadily from 2019 to 2022. Opioid prescribing rates in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties remain higher than statewide rates, however.

“The region is home to multiple health care resources, but while the number of beds available in hospitals has increased, so has the cost,” Avery-Stoss added. “High costs likely impede access for those who are under-insured or uninsured.”

The number of nursing home beds per 1,000 residents has decreased, and those costs have risen. With an increasing population of older adults and growing life expectancy, the capacity to care for older adults is an important issue to address. This must include care at various levels, including home-based solutions and skilled nursing facilities.

Health data highlights well-being of youth in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Avery-Stoss said many data-sets reveal insights specific to children. This information shows that infant mortality has decreased throughout the last decade, for instance, and it points to the need for improved childhood lead screening protocols.

Lead screenings are mandated for children who are under age six and covered by Medicaid. The screenings reveal elevated blood lead levels (BLL), which are more than five micrograms of lead for every deciliter of blood.

This testing is important because lead entering the body from different environments affects the child’s growth and development. It is difficult to visually notice symptoms of lead exposure, and when left untreated it can lead to attention, learning, behavior, hearing, and speech issues.

A significant challenge is that only a small percentage of children are tested, and this is especially concerning in an area with older homes and water infrastructure.

Avery-Stoss said both Lackawanna County and Luzerne County have exceeded statewide percentages of children tested with elevated BLL from 2018 through 2021.

“Regionally, Lackawanna County has recorded the lowest shares of tested children under age six over the last several years,” said Avery-Stoss. “Wayne County had the smallest proportion of tested children under age six and with elevated BLLs.”