Saint Francis sees obesity, cancer among top health priorities in region

A months-long study by the Saint Francis Healthcare System has spotlighted four major public health priorities for people in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott and Stoddard counties, where the majority of its patients live.

They include obesity in children and adults, cancer, chronic disease management and health-care affordability.

Felicia Blanton, marketing director for Saint Francis, said the IRS requires the system to conduct a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment, or CHNA, every three years to maintain its not-for-profit status under the Affordable Care Act.

"All this data has to be widely shared and available for anyone to access," she said.

This is the second CHNA since 2013, and many of the same issues spotlighted then are as critical now.

To amass the more than 100 pages of data per county, more than 150 people were surveyed, and the rest of the information came from secondary sources such the U.S. Census and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

In Cape Girardeau County, the leading causes of death, according to the assessment, were heart disease with 2,069 instances, cancer (1,658) and chronic lower respiratory disease (437).

Overall, obesity, cancer and mental illness were identified as the top health concerns countywide.

In Bollinger County, heart disease claimed the most lives at 437, followed by cancer at 343 and chronic lower respiratory disease at 98.

As with Cape Girardeau County, top health issues in Bollinger County were identified as obesity, cancer and mental illness.

Leading causes of death in Scott County were heart disease (1,194), cancer (1,050) and chronic lower respiratory disease (339). Top issues there were identified as obesity, cancer and heart disease.

Dr. Tom Diemer, Saint Francis' vice president of quality and patient safety, attributed the major health problems in the region to lifestyle choices.

"In general, (with) the population we serve ... sedentary activity has increased, and outside activity has decreased," he said.

Much of that has to do with long periods spent sitting with electronic devices.

For people who can't afford those luxuries, Diemer said diet plays a big role in diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer because people eat what they can afford.

"The cheaper foods are not necessarily the more healthy ones," he said. "Eating healthy is expensive."

Ron Camp, CEO of Cross Trails Medical Center, said its patient population does not have the resources to receive regular health and dental care, so federal grants are used in their treatment.

"If you don't have a dime, some way, somehow we're going to get you in the clinic, and we're going to see you," he said.

Cross Trails' Marble Hill location served as one of the focus group sites used in surveying patients for the study.

Common problems seen there include basic access to health care, procedures such as mammograms and even dental care. Homelessness, lack of transportation, skyrocketing prescription drug prices and high health-care deductibles also are to blame.

"Believe it or not, there are people out there who haven't seen a dentist in 11 years," Camp said.

For people in remote areas with urgent needs or injuries, one Cross Trails doctor even performs triage so they can survive during the long drive to the hospital.

The Community Health Needs Assessment only served to highlight these and other issues, he said.

While Cross Trails and others do their share of community outreach, the bottom line in helping alleviate such suffering and reducing health-care costs is to address problems before they become inoperable or beyond hope.

"If we catch it early, most of the time that's when we can do something about it," he said.

Blanton, marketing director for Saint Francis, said that is the primary purpose of the assessment.

Now that critical issues have been identified, an implementation plan is underway to help continue promoting preventive measures.

For Saint Francis, that means programs such as Fit Kids, which provides nutrition and exercise tips for the young, and working with health departments and other groups to promote exercise, smoking cessation and parenting programs that stress beneficial lifestyle choices.

"One thing that has to come out of this is (the) implementation plan based on priority data," she said.

To access the full Community Health Needs Assessment, visit sfmc.net.

ljones@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652