Page 97 - 2015 Compass Now

young people aged 15-24 years old. In total, STIs account for approximately $16 billion in health care costs8. HEALTH
During the same year, the U.S. chlamydia rate was 446.6 per 100,000 people, a 1.5% decrease since 2012.
In the Great Rivers Region, chlamydia rates are highest among La Crosse County residents, probably in
part due to the large college-age population, who participate in risky sexual behaviors more than other age
groups. These students are also more likely to be diagnosed and treated in their college community, rather
than in their home community. The gonorrhea rate was 106.1 per 100,000 people.

Food and waterborne illnesses that are known to arise locally include salmonella, giardia, and hepatitis.
Salmonella and hepatitis are usually caused by consuming contaminated food. Giardia can be spread from
person-to-person or through contaminated water. Most food and waterborne illnesses cause minor diarrhea,
nausea, and vomiting, though these symptoms can become severe. Over the past several years, the rates
of and waterborne illnesses have decreased in our area; however, an accidental contamination of food at a
large event can cause these statistics to spike.

Vaccine preventable illnesses that are reported and monitored include measles and pertussis. Pertussis,
also known as whooping cough, is a bacterial respiratory infection characterized by severe spasms of
coughing. Before the introduction of the vaccination in the 1940s, pertussis was a major cause of illness
and death among infants. Since the introduction of the pertussis vaccination, case reports of this illness
decreased more than 99%. However, an increasing number of pertussis cases have been reported to
the CDC since the 1980s, especially among adolescents aged 10-19 years and adults9. It is also felt that
pertussis is underreported since many people who develop the illness do not seek treatment. The best way
for pertussis to be managed to a lower level in the community is to ensure that all adults are vaccinated
for this by receiving the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in place of the usual tetanus-
diphtheria vaccine (Td). Due to religious, ethnic, or cultural differences within the region, immunization
rates in some counties are not as high. There was a significant increase in pertussis cases between 2011 (34
cases) and 2012 (166 cases) for La Crosse County. Pertussis rates rose in all Great Rivers counties during
that same time period. County health departments need to monitor outbreak rates and, when possible,
develop appropriate solutions.

The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease, which was first discovered in the 1980s10. It is
common to the Great Rivers Region due to a specific tick (generally carried by white-tail deer) that spreads
the disease. Disease prevention strategies include educating residents to identify the disease, how to
properly remove ticks, and how to avoid being bitten. Lyme disease is treatable; however, those that go
undiagnosed or are diagnosed later in the disease cycle have a slower recovery rate. In 2012, Vernon County
had the highest rates of Lyme disease at 119.9 cases per 100,000 population.

Mental illnesses are common in the United States and throughout the world. The National Institute of
Mental Health estimates 26.2% of Americans (ages 18 and older) suffer from a diagnosable mental illness
in any given year11. Even though mental disorders are widespread, the main burden of illness is typically
concentrated in a much smaller proportion (about 6%) of the population; primarily, those who suffer from
a serious mental illness. Additionally, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for
people ages 15 to 44. Mental illness has a significant impact on the workplace that often goes unrecognized.
Mental illness causes more days of work loss and work impairment than chronic health conditions such
as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Data surrounding the issues of mental illness is scarce. A recent
project, “The Burden of Mental Illness for the La Crosse and the Surrounding Region,” highlights some of the
data that has been gathered to illustrate the picture of mental illness in the Great Rivers Region12. More than
half of all mental disorders and problems with substance abuse begin by the age of 1413. The most common
mental disorder experienced among adolescents is depression, occurring in more than 25% of high school
students surveyed14. Unfortunately, many teens do not seek treatment for their disorder for fear of being
stigmatized by peers or others15. The rate of psychiatric hospitalizations has remained stable over the past
three to five years (see Figure 4). Although hospitalizations are stable, health care charges are substantial

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