KINGSTON – Ulster county has unveiled a new community health assessment report as , allowing the county to identify disparities at the neighborhood level and to better target resources and interventions to the communities that need them most.
“Good health is fundamental to individual and community well-being and to a thriving economy, and this assessment enables us to identify the areas of greatest need and target our public health investments accordingly,” said County Executive Jen Metzger.
The report looks at statistics for a number of health issues.
The report says 64 percent of children ages 24-35 months completed the combined seven-vaccine series, exceeding the state average of 59.3 percent as well as the target of 62.3 percent set by the State Health Department for 2025-2030.
The county is below the state average in girls ages 13 who have received the HPV vaccination – 14.5 percent in Ulster compared to 25.7 percent statewide. Human Papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and it can lead to cervical cancer.
The report finds that lung and colon cancer mortality rates show a decline; however, female breast cancer mortality rates have not changed, reinforcing the importance of screening and early detection.
Disparities exist across race and ethnicity, and across zip codes, for mortality from heart disease, asthma, and Type 2 Diabetes, in Ulster County.
Tick-borne illnesses, primarily Lyme disease, in Ulster far exceed the statewide average – for Lyme: 501.3 cases per 100,000 in the county, compared to 109.1 percent statewide.
Several sexually transmitted diseases have seen a decline, including a steep decrease in gonorrhea cases in the Hispanic population, but there are disparities in trends by race and ethnicity.
In the category of maternal and infant health, at 68.4 percent, Ulster County calls below the state, excluding the City of New York at 77.3 percent, and the prevention agenda goal is 80.5 percent for births with adequate prenatal care. In-hospital breastfeeding rates significantly exceed the state average – 61.3 percent compared to a state average of 46.7 percent. Breastfeeding is linked to several health benefits for the parent and child.
The rate of hospitalizations from falls for older residents is 26 per 1,000, which is 50 percent lower than the national Healthy People 2030 goal.
County suicide rates are lower than the national average, but higher than the state average.
Mental health conditions and substance use disorders are significantly linked to higher mortality rates. Factors like social isolation, stress, and barriers to care can exacerbate the risks, the report finds.
Food insecurity affects some 13 percent of residents and is more than twice as high among black and Latino residents, compared to white residents.
By utilizing the most up-to-date, granular, zip code-level data – and presenting these findings in the StoryMap – our County Department of Health now has the unique capacity to identify and target health disparities in our county,” said Public Health Director Eve Walter.
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