Highly variable health care and patient outcomes occur in different regions of the United States. According to a report from the American Cancer Society, deaths from colon cancer have declined in all but three regions of the country: eastern Virginia/North Carolina, lower Mississippi delta, and west-central Appalachia. The U.S. colon cancer death rate has declined by half over the past decades, partly due to screening, but there are large differences between states (Preidt, 2015a). Another study showed that 36% of counties in the United States are more than 50 miles from the nearest doctor specializing in ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancer, putting many women at a disadvantage for quality care and positive outcomes (Preidt, 2015b). Lastly, kidney dialysis rates in the United States are higher in poor neighborhoods (Preidt, 2015c).

Possible reasons for this include less access to care, greater exposure to environmental toxins, and lifestyle habits.

1. What do you do when populations are disproportionately unhealthy or at higher risk for certain health conditions?
2. You are a health educator working for the state Department of Public Health. How do you prioritize what health conditions or concerns your Department focus?
3. What data sources will you rely on?
4. How do you help hospitals in the geographic region address these health disparities?

Preidt, R. (2015a, July 8). Colon cancer deaths falling, but 3 U.S. regions lag behind. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/colorectalcancer/news/20150708/colon-cancer-deaths-falling-but-3-us-regions-lagbehind#1http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_153481.html