California Counties:
The diversity of California's counties tells a story about the ways different factors impact health outcomes. California has 58 counties, each with a different story about its health outcomes and the causation of its health outcomes. This project will dive deeper into three health outcomes that are can be treatable and preventable in proper social action is taken (the three health outcomes are: obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease). To learn more about these counties, click here.
Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Disease Rates Across California Counties
Obesity:
Facts:
- Obesity is measured through excessive through the a BMI (body mass index) scale. To find out your BMI click here.
- 18% of people in the United States die from obesity
- Obesity is preventable with proper nutrition and consistent amount of exercise
Map of Obesity Rates across California Counties
This is a thematic map of obesity rates across California Counties. The data was sorted as equal intervals, and then colors were distributed to different ranges. This maps reveals that there are high rates of obesity in the Central Valley Counties. These counties include; San Joaquin, Stainslaus, Merced, Fresno, Tulare and Kern County. There are a couple of counties that are not located in the central valley that also have high rates of obesity such as San Bernardino, and Yuba County. These counties exhibit high rates of obesity, and the question is, what causes these high rates? Are they social or biological factors? Is there something we can do? This project will explore further the possibility of social and external factors that play a role in these high obesity rates.
Diabetes:
Facts:
- Type 2 diabetes is currently on the rise in the United States
- Approximately 10% of people in the United States have type 2 diabetes
- California has the highest diabetes rates in the United States
Map of Diabetes Rates across California Counties
Similar to the obesity map above, this is a thematic map of diabetes rates across California Counties. The data was sorted as equal intervals, and then colors were distributed to different ranges. This map reveals that there are higher rates of diabetes in the central area and southern California. The counties bordering Nevada and the counties in Northern California along the pacific have lower rates of diabetes. The counties distribution of diabetes rates is similar to obesity rates focused in the Central Valley and southern California. Visually we see that there are disparities in these counties.
Heart Disease
Facts:
- Heart disease is the leading cause to death
- 600,000 people die of heart disease every year, that is 1 in every 4 deaths
- Individuals who have diabetes or are obese are more susceptible to heart disease
Maps of Heart Disease across California Counties
Similar to the diabetes and obesity maps above, this is a thematic map of heart disease rates and heart disease rates with diabetes across California Counties. The data was sorted as equal intervals, and the colors were distributed to different percentage ranges. These two maps reveals the interesting distribution of heart disease across California Counties. The map on the left depicts heart disease rates across California Counties and seems to be more concentrated in northern California, and along the counties bordering Nevada. In comparison to the map on the right depicts heart disease rates with diabetes across California Counties shows Kern, Ventura and the northern California Counties have higher rates of heart disease with diabetes. These counties do not show the counties bordering Nevada have high rates of heart disease and diabetes. This was an interesting trend, and to understand the potential social implications in these counties to see the reasons behind that would be interesting.
Manufacturers of Illnesses in California
Fast Food Restaurants
Facts:
- An average person consumes about 130 pounds of sugar per year
- Fast food restaurants can be an external factor affecting health outcomes across California Counties
- An average watched about 40,000 advertisements per year
Map of Fast Food Restaurants Across California Counties:
Similar to the health outcomes maps above, this is a thematic map of fast food restaurants across California Counties. The data was sorted as equal intervals, and the colors were distributed to different percentage ranges. This map reveals a similar trend to the obesity rates with his concentrations of fast food restaurants in the Central Valley. There is a correlation between fast food restaurants and obesity rates, but this does not mean there is a causation between the two. There are many external factors that could affect the health outcomes in different counties, and fast food restaurants is only one part of that. It is important to also look at toxin levels, cultural memberships and bigger political systems to further understand bad health outcomes in these counties.
Overview
There is a lot of potential in this project, and a lot more could have been done and many more maps could be made. Some maps could include heat maps of counties concentration of fast food restaurants or toxin levels. I would also have studied more extensively external factors affecting health outcomes, and also make more maps of social factors (income, race, age) in these counties.
Sources
Census Data (2010)
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps (2013)