Page 98 - 2015 Compass Now

and rising. Charges for clinic and emergency room visits and hospital stays due to mental illnesses for
2009-2010 in our region were over $52.4 million (approximately $24.9 million in 2009, and $27.6 million in
2010).

Figure 4: Rate of Psychiatric Hospitalizations for Wisconsin Counties, 2008-2012

# of Hospitalizations 8.0
per 1,000 Population 7.0
6.0
5.0 La Crosse Monroe Trempealeau Vernon
4.0
3.0 7.8 6.3 6.0 5.1
2.0
1.0 7.5 5.0 5.7 4.4
0.0
7.1 4.4 4.8 4.4
2008
2009 6.8 4.4 5.2 4.6
2010
2011 7.7 4.7 5.4 4.0
2012

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Public Health Profiles, 2008-2012.
Houston County data not available.

Table 4 indicates the number of deaths by suicide in the counties of the Great Rivers Region for 2012-2014.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among younger generations (11- to 24-year-olds), resulting in
many years of productive life lost. This is measured by the statistic years of potential life lost (YPLL).
La Crosse County had a record number of suicides in 2014; however, Trempealeau County has the highest
rate of suicides between 2012 and 2014. “The Burden of Suicide in Wisconsin” report released in 2008
indicates a higher rate of suicide in Wisconsin than in neighboring states16.

Table 4: Suicide rate for 2012-2014 (all age groups)

County Deaths by Suicide Years of Potential
(2012-2014) Life Lost (YPLL)

# Rate/100,000 # of Years

La Crosse 59 16.9 1,973

Monroe 10 7.4 310

Trempealeau 18 20.5 647

Vernon 7 7.7 168

Houston* 10 17.5 N/A

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

*The calculated rate of suicides per 100,000 population in Houston County is based
on population estimates from the 2010 U.S. Census. The number of suicides in
Houston County were those occurring between the years 2011 and 2013.

90 COMPASS NOW 2015