Report: County high in suicides

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Report: County high in suicides

Sara Arthurs The Times-Standard

Humboldt County continued to have high rates of suicide, drug overdoses and deaths in general, according to recently released state statistics. The California Department of Health Services released the 2006 County Health Status Profiles this week in conjunction with National Public Health Week. The statistics show that Humboldt had the second highest age-adjusted death rate of all California counties, with a rate of 944.6 deaths per 100,000 people. The statewide rate was 704.5 per 100,000 population. The county had the state's highest rate of drug-induced deaths, with an age-adjusted death rate of 29.8 per 100,000 people. The state rate was 10 deaths per 100,000 population. In addition, the county's suicide rate was 19.2 deaths per 100,000 population, compared with a state rate of 9.4 deaths. The county's rate of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes was 23.6 deaths per 100,000 population, nearly twice the state's age-adjusted death rate of 12.1 per 100,000 population. Other statistics included: * Deaths due to unintentional injuries. The state's rate was 29.3 per 100,000 population; Humboldt County's was 72.9 per 100,000. * Deaths due to firearm injuries. The state rate is 9.4 per 100,000; Humboldt County's was 14.6 per 100,000. * Deaths from cancer. The state rate was 164.1 deaths per 100,000; Humboldt County's was 210.2 deaths per 100,000. * Deaths due to coronary heart disease. Humboldt's rate was 154.2 per 100,000, lower than the state rate of 164.7 deaths per 100,000 people. * Deaths due to stroke. Humboldt's rate was 57.2 deaths per 100,000 compared to a state rate of 52.4 per 100,000

* Deaths due to diabetes. Humboldt's rate was 31.2 per 100,000, higher than the state rate of 21.3 deaths per 100,000 population. The county reported a chlamydia case rate of 256.34 cases, compared to a state rate of 324.31 cases. The cases aren't in whole numbers because the rate is compiled as an average over three years, 2002 to 2004. The county also ranked high in Hepatitis C cases, although the state reports that these ratings are less statistically reliable. The infant mortality rate was 6.9, compared with a state average of 5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. This number, too, is considered too small to be statistically meaningful. The county rate of births to teen mothers age 15 to 19 was lower than the state rate. The county had a rate of 28.1 births per 1,000 female population, compared to the state rate of 39.2 births. In Humboldt County, 17.5 percent of mothers had late or no prenatal care, compared to 13 percent statewide. Countywide, 20.5 percent of residents live in poverty, compared to 19.6 percent of Californians. The California Department of Health Statistics compiled the statistics based on birth and death records and reported cases of specific diseases.

http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3691218