SELF REPORTED HEALTH OF RESIDENTS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI DELTA

Authors: Casey, Patrick; Horton, Jacqueline; Bogle, Margaret; FOMBY, BETTY - SOUTHERN UNIV AND A&M COL; FORSYTHE, WILLIAM - UNIV SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI; GOOLSBY, SUSAN - ACHRI; GOSSETT, JEFFERY - ACHRI, DAC; HYMAN, EDITH - UNIV ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF; Kramer, Tim; LOVEJOY, JENNIFER - PENNINGTON BIOMED RES CTR; RASCO, MATTIE - ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY; ROBBINS, JAMES - ACHRI; SIMON, WANDA - ACHRI, DAC; SIMPSON, PIPPA - ACHRI, DAC

Submitted to: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2004
Publication Date: 11/1/2004
Citation: Casey, P., Horton, J., Bogle, M.L., Fomby, B., Forsythe, W., Goolsby, S., Gossett, J., Hyman, E., Kramer, T.R., Lovejoy, J., Rasco, M., Robbins, J., Simon, W., Simpson, P. 2004. Self reported health of residents of the Lower Mississippi Delta. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 15(4):645-662.

Interpretive Summary: The rural Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi has a large percentage of economically and socially disadvantaged residents who are at high risk for health problems. The health status of this population is poorly understood, as it is not well represented in national surveys that describe population health status. To determine the self reported health status of a representative Lower Mississippi Delta population, and to compare it to a national population, a telephone survey of 2236 adults and children was conducted in early 2000. Compared to the national population, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes are significantly higher in the Lower Mississippi Delta population. Obesity is strikingly higher in all children's age groups and twice as prevalent in adults of the Delta than the national population. Adults in the Delta score lower on a physical health scale but higher on a mental health scale compared to the national population. African Americans in the Lower Mississippi Delta are at higher risk for obesity, hypertension and diabetes compared to their national counterparts. Given the high prevalence of self-reported health problems by the Delta population, a public health crisis appears to exist in the Lower Mississippi Delta.

Technical Abstract: The rural Lower Mississippi Delta of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi has a large economically and socially disadvantaged population at high risk for health problems. Their health status is poorly understood as they are not well represented in national health surveys. A random digit dialing telephone survey was conducted in 2000, with 2,236 respondents representing residents of 36 counties along the Mississippi River. Self-reported chronic conditions, health status and obesity (derived from weight and height) were compared with the nationally representative Continuing Survey of Food Intake of Individuals. High cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension were significantly higher than in the national sample. Obesity was strikingly higher in Delta children (27.9% vs. 16.2%) of all ages and in Delta adults (33.9% vs. 17.3%). Controlling for age, income and gender, African Americans were at particularly risk for obesity, hypertension and diabetes. A public health crisis appears to exist in the Delta given the high prevalence health problems.