Jennie Moon

Cache Valley Community Health Trends

I spoke with both Joyce Larson, a substance abuse coordinator that works in Brigham City and Cindy Diamond, an employee in the Educational Outreach Department of the Logan Regional Hospital for the community trends of the Bear River area. 

 1.           Due to the geographical features of the valley, there is terrible inversion.  Air quality is a major health concern for Cache Valley residents.  Efforts to reduce emissions such as biking or walking places are unattractive because time spent outside is warned against.  This also plays a role in people’s desires to exercise.  The Environmental Protection Agency is now encouraging the Department to do emissions testing because of the excessive red and yellow air days last winter.  Over the past few years, the inversion has been increasing, and on January 8 and 9 last year, the valley had the worst air in the nation.  It is surprising and discouraging to think that this largely rural area’s poor air quality supersedes that of national urban centers.  The Health Department is working on informing and educating people about how to reduce emissions.

2.         Teen illegal substance abuse has been rising.  In 2011, 1,371 people were served by BRHD’s substance abuse program.  This figure has been increasing among all age groups, but particularly among teens.  During a 30-day period, tested in both 2011 and 2009, the incidents with abuse of alcohol were 22.6 and 4.5, respectively.  This trend is similar for substance abuse of cigarettes and marijuana.  In an attempt to curb this negative pattern, the Bear River Health Department is going to include more information about substance abuse when talking to adolescents during maturation clinics.

3.         The Bear River Health Department has also been actively trying to educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding.  The primary method through which they are attempting to help young mothers and their families is through WIC services.  3,126 families were aided by its services in 2011.  This is an encouraging figure.  The Department hopes to promote its services in an attempt to reach a broader spectrum of families.  The WIC program in Logan is currently running and doing good things, but is fairly small and unheard of.  How WIC can help families and how they can apply for it is very accessible from BRHD’s webpage, which the Department hopes will lead to more interest and utilization of this great resource for health. 

4.              Despite past unfounded rumors about vaccinations and their role in causing autism, the number of people getting vaccinations has been steadily increasing over the last few years.  This is largely due to the campaign efforts the Department engaged in a few years ago in an effort to encourage people to take advantage of this protection.  Influenza vaccinations are particularly advertised and received.  Last year, 15,497 immunizations were given to residents.  The Department hopes that this trend will continue to increase.

5.            Smoking rates have decreased over the last several years.  A dramatic decrease of 44% occurred since the late 1990s.  The BRHD is currently providing cessation clinics and programs to prevent youth from ever starting to smoke, causing this downward trend to continue.  Programs such as TRUTH, the Utah Tobacco Quit Line, and End Nicotine Dependence are a few examples and are popular for those trying to quit their addictive habit.  In conclusion, Cache Valley is experiencing both positive and negative public health trends.  The increasing prevalence of WIC, the decline of smoking, and the gradual rise in immunizations are encouraging figures, whereas the threat of inversion and the rise in illegal substance abuse are pressing matters for the Bear River Health Department.  As a new year approaches, the Department is optimistic about the future of Cache Valley’s health.