Self Service Health Care Unveiled in Georgia

/24-7/ -- Rural Georgians are less healthy than those living in urban areas. They are more likely to be under-insured or uninsured and they are more likely to suffer from heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

In a pioneering attempt to improve these statistics, free, user-friendly health information technology is being unveiled today in Blakely, Georgia (Early County).

The National Health Museum (NHM) of Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) and SoloHealth are unveiling Georgia's first Personal Health Advisor (PHA). The digital system is a new way for residents to learn about their health by the simple touch of a computer screen.

The PHA unit is a free-standing kiosk device that is being piloted and evaluated at the Primary Care of Southwest Georgia (PCSG) community clinic, 360 College Street in Blakely, Georgia. In addition to no-charge use of the kiosk, activities for Early County residents will include free health screenings and a health fair organized by DCH. After its initial stay in Early County, NHM plans to collaborate with DCH to make the PHA available for statewide use.

The PHA developed by SoloHealth and the NHM is the newest health information delivery platform. It allows users to assess their risk for overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. PHA users can also access interactive information about STDs and vaccines.

"We're pleased to be collaborating with DCH to develop innovative ways to improve the health of Georgians," said Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., the Museum's chairman. "We look forward to expanding this concept throughout the state of Georgia and beyond. In Blakely and Early County, where my brother Walter and I grew up, being healthy is not only beneficial for individuals and families, but also is fundamental for economic development and quality of life."

"The PHA is a great example of how the National Health Museum is using new technology to create educational tools that help people change their behavior and live healthier lifestyles," said David Roland, NHM's president and CEO. "This is just the beginning of a series of new health and life science activities that we will be announcing during the coming year."

The PHA is designed to be user-friendly for people of all ages and education levels, and for those with limited technology experience. The kiosk's touch screen features two "physician tour guides" to help patients answer questions about their health and health knowledge. Users enter non-identifiable demographic data and answer health status questions, and within minutes they are provided with a custom risk assessment printout, along with action-oriented tips for healthy living, and local and national health resources. To protect user privacy, no personal information is collected.

"We are proud to be partnering with the NHM and the Georgia DCH. We have a shared mission to increase access to health care while reducing health care costs. This new technology empowers consumers to learn about their own health and encourages them to take action," said Bart Foster, SoloHealth's Founder and CEO.Early County was identified as an ideal location to launch the program because of the community's significant health care needs coupled with a shortage of health resources. The PHA system will remain in Blakely for testing over the next few months.

The project was jointly funded by DCH and a matching grant from The Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation of Atlanta, in association with Early County 2055, Inc.

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2009 Georgia County Guide Available

Bremen City Schools had a 93 percent graduation rate in 2007. And 65.6 percent of Oconee County’s 2007 graduates were eligible for the HOPE scholarship.

If you want to learn more interesting facts on education and much more in the Peach State, the 27th edition of the Georgia County Guide is the book for you. The annual publication is compiled by the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, a unit of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Education tidbits

In the education category, you can learn what percent of public school students in your county qualified for the gifted program, were retained in their grade, dropped out and more.

Did you know that more than half of Georgia public school teachers hold advanced degrees? And more than 24 percent of Decatur City School students are enrolled in the gifted program? And since 1993, Georgia has awarded more than $4 billion dollars in HOPE scholarships.

In the area of finances, the guide reveals that the average Georgia household survives on $45,564 a year and almost 1.3 million Georgians live in poverty. Half of the children who attend Georgia public schools qualify for free or reduced lunches.

Higher income than U.S. average

On a positive note, five Georgia counties have per capita incomes higher than the U.S. average.

The public information in the guide is pulled from federal, state and private agencies. Using more than 1,400 variables, the book provides figures on agriculture, courts and crime, economics, education, government, health, housing and households, labor, natural resources, population, public assistance, transportation and vital statistics on the state and its 159 counties.
“(The guide) has evolved over time to become the premier source of county-level data,” said Sue Boatright, a CAES research coordinator and the guide’s editor.

Used by many

The information is commonly used by realtors, educators, political consultants, county planners, architects and many others to make community decisions, she said.

Crime figures in the guide include the number of index crimes reported, percentage of juvenile arrests and the number of state prison inmates.

Farm-gate values for poultry, row crops, livestock, forestry, vegetables, ornamentals and fruits and nuts are included in the agriculture category.

Order your copy

Access to the data is free online at www.georgiastats.uga.edu. A printed copy costs $20. Microsoft Excel spreadsheets of all the data costs $50. The book and its data on CD can be purchased together for $65.

To order, go to the Web site www.countyguide.uga.edu. Or, send a request and check made payable to Georgia County Guide to the Office of Communications, 117 Hoke Smith Annex, Athens, GA 30602-4356. Allow three weeks from receipt of order for delivery.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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VSU's CBER Announces Economic Analysis Project

The Center for Business and Economic Research at Valdosta State University launched the Georgia Regional Economic Analysis Project on January 1, 2009.

The Web-based program, available at www.pnreap.org/georgia , is a great source of data at the county, metropolitan statistical area and state levels. Within seconds, users can view annual data, spanning 38 years, on population, income, employment, total industry earnings and average earnings per job for all 159 Georgia counties.

Unlike other resources, the GA-REAP provides more than just statistics - it gives users actual analysis of data. Interactive tools allow for in-depth research and analysis and reports can be generated to clearly explain trends and implications for a local area in terms easily understood by non-experts.

"The CBER is proud to offer this service to folks in Georgia wishing to conduct their own research using publicly available data," said Dr. Cliff Lipscomb, CBER director and assistant professor of economics at VSU. "What makes the GA-REAP different is that actual analysis of the data accompanies the tables - you have to see it for yourself to believe the insight into Georgia counties that can be gained after a few clicks."

VSU's CBER provides the GA-REAP in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project. The most recent data is provided for 2006; however additional information will be added as updates are received from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

CBER will begin offering an annual conference and training session, the first of which will be scheduled this spring. Economic development personnel, city and regional planners and other users will receive an overview of the CBER's services, faculty research related to economic development and GA-REAP training on use of the powerful data tool.

A service arm of VSU's Harley Langdale College of Business Administration, the CBER supports regional economic development and promotes activities that strengthen the competitive positions of regional business within VSU's 41-county service area. Call Lipscomb at (229) 245-3774 or e-mail him at calipscomb@valdosta.edu for more information.

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CDC Releases New Infant Mortality Data

The United States ranked 29th in the world in infant mortality in 2004, compared to 27th in 2000, 23rd in 1990 and 12th in 1960, according to a new report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs).

The U.S. infant mortality rate was 6.78 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2004, the latest year that data are available for all countries. Infant mortality rates were generally lowest (below 3.5 per 1,000) in selected Scandinavian (Sweden, Norway, Finland) and East Asian (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore) countries. Twenty-two countries had infant mortality rates below 5.0 in 2004.

The findings are published in a new Data Brief "Recent Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States." The data come from the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set and Preliminary Mortality Data File, collected through the National Vital Statistics System.

The report shows the U.S. infant mortality rate did not decline from 2000 to 2005. However, preliminary data for 2006 show a significant 2 percent decline between 2005 and 2006. Other findings include:

-- The current U.S. infant mortality rate is about 50 percent higher than
the national goal of 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 births.
-- The infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic black women was 2.4 times
the rate for non-Hispanic white women. In 2005, the infant mortality
rate for non-Hispanic black women was 13.63 infant deaths per 1,000
live births, compared to a rate of 5.76 for non-Hispanic white women.
Rates were also higher for Puerto Rican and American Indian women,
8.30 and 8.06 respectively.
-- Increases in preterm birth and preterm-related infant mortality
account for much of the lack of decline in the United States' infant
mortality rate from 2000 to 2005.

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