Page 96 - 2015 Compass Now

What are the primary illnesses in the Great Rivers Region?

Not only do chronic diseases play a role in deaths in our community, they are also the primary cause of
illness. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancers, and lung diseases
like asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are all too common among our community
members. In 2012, about half of American adults (117 million people) had one or more chronic health
conditions. One out of four adults had two or more chronic health conditions2. In 2012, there were 26.6
million adults diagnosed with heart disease3. Approximately 70 million (29%) American adults have high
blood pressure4. Furthermore, one in every six U.S. adults had high cholesterol5. In 2011 it was determined
that 300 of every 100,000 Americans develop cancer annually6. This gives the U.S. the seventh highest
cancer rate in the world6. It was estimated that 12.7 million U.S. adults have COPD; however, close to 24
million U.S. adults have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating an under-diagnosis of COPD7.

In the early 1900s, infectious diseases were the cause of most of our illnesses and deaths. Deaths from
pneumonia, tuberculosis, and diarrhea were the primary causes of death. With the advancement of
immunizations, antibiotics, and other treatments, deaths from these causes have been greatly reduced.
Several infectious diseases are reportable illnesses that are now monitored at a local and national level.
Immunization compliance rates by county for school age children range from 70-90%. As previously
indicated, some population-based cultural differences may lead to a need to modify public health and health
care provider’s strategies to ensure adequate immunization to prevent outbreaks of vaccine preventable
illnesses.

Table 3 shows a number of the infectious diseases that are monitored today.

Table 3: Rates for Reportable Infectious Diseases
(Rate per 100,000 Population), 2012

La Crosse Monroe Trempealeau Vernon Houston WI MN

Chlamydia 336.0 315.5 217.2 124.2 148.6 410.6 335.5

Food and Waterborne 44.8 62.1 68.7 60.0 53.1 45.0 39.7
Illnesses

Vaccine Preventable 107.8 39.9 89.3 206.5 - 81.9 -

Lyme Disease 23.7 80.0 62.5 120.9 47.8 25.4 16.9

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Public Health Profiles; Minnesota Department of Health, County
Health Tables.

Rate calculations were conducted using population data from 2010 census.
Food and waterborne illnesses for Wisconsin counties include E.coli, Hepatitis A, Salmonellosis, Shigellosis, and
Campylobacter enteritis. Food and waterborne illnesses for Minnesota and Houston County include Salmonellosis,
Shigellosis, and Campylobacter enteritis. Vaccine preventable diseases for Wisconsin counties include Haemophilus

influenza type b, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Measles, Mumps, and Pertussis.
For cases reported as <5, 5 was the number used in calculations.

HEALTH Risky sexual behavior leads to an increase in sexually transmitted infection (STI) and/or sexually
transmitted disease (STD). Rates of STIs have declined significantly from the late 1980s when HIV/AIDS
was a major concern. Prevention efforts for HIV included major educational efforts within the secondary and
higher educational systems. These efforts significantly decreased the rates of all STIs. As treatment for HIV
has improved, the focus on prevention of STIs has decreased and there has been a gradual increase in the
STI rates as a result. Statistics on STDs are based on the three conditions that physicians are required to
report: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. These represent only a fraction of the true burden of STDs. Some
common diseases such as human papilloma virus (HPV) and genital herpes are not reported to the CDC.
In 2013, the CDC estimated that there were nearly 20 million new STIs each year, half of these are among

88 COMPASS NOW 2015