Gabrielle Kasza addresses the Rotary Club on behalf of the Healthy Communities Collaborative.  

 

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Gabrielle Kasza, the Enloe Hospital’s Healthy Communities Collaborative coordinator, delivered some somber statistics at the Rotary Club meeting last week.

“The life expectancy for both men and women (in Butte County) is three years younger than the state average. We run sixth highest for suicides in the state. Our cancer rates were highest for colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer,” Kasza said.

Some causes for these somber statistics have been attributed to the 12% of county residents who do not have health insurance. Food insecurity was cited as another probable cause, according to Kasza.

Thirty percent of African Americans can’t find food or don’t have consistent access to food and about 17% of Latino and Hispanic residents experience food insecurity, according to the data that Kasza presented.            

Kasza added that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have a negative impact on health with physical or mental abuse, as well as absence of a positive childhood mentor.

“About half of our county (residents) have one or more adverse childhood experiences. If you have four or more ACEs, that elevates your risk for poor health outcomes later in life. All of the diseases I mentioned, as well as heart disease and diabetes, are preventable through healthy eating, physical activities, and connection and meaning.”

The Healthy Communities Collaborative is a joint effort with Adventist Health Feather River Foundation and North Valley Community Foundation to form prevention-based health initiatives. For example, the “Healthy Here” app is available as a resource for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. Recipes, physical activities, links to health-related videos, maps of recreational areas, a list of community organizations, and a passions and hobbies map are all available. Suicide prevention hotlines and centers are listed as well.

The Healthy Communities Collaborative is working with restaurants to designate healthier meal options with the Healthy Here logo. In addition, each participating restaurant will receive a Healthy Here window sticker for visibility to patrons.

A social media campaign will be launched later this year to promote the program.