Tri-State, southwest Indiana health survey shows 'room for improvement'

The Evansville organization’s 2015 Tri-State Health Survey, released Thursday, lists weight and mental health issues as two of seven health factors on which Tri-State residents fare more poorly than national averages.

But the foundation hopes people will look beyond the survey’s surface — and use the data as a springboard for action.

“We try to do that without the hyperbole of ‘misery indexes’ and other kind of catchy headlines that don’t really get at the nuances and the complexity of the issues associated with the health of the Tri-State area,” foundation executive director and chief executive officer Kevin Bain said at a news conference.

“There’s a wealth of actionable information.”

The survey covered 18 health topics for adults, and three for children. Each topic earned a rating of “good,” “fair” or “poor,” based on how local responses compared to national averages.

For adult respondents, the area was rated “good” in three categories: Healthcare access, cancer screening rates and vision care.

It was rated “fair” in eight categories: Asthma, high cholesterol, chronic lower respiratory disease, dental care, diabetes, heart disease, physical activity and stroke.

And it was rated “poor” in seven categories: Arthritis, high blood pressure, healthy weight, mental health, nutrition, smoking/tobacco use and alcohol/substance use.

In the children’s categories, asthma earned a “fair” rating,” while healthy weight and mental/behavioral health both earned a “poor” rating.

“The overall health of the Tri-State has room for improvement,” said Liz Tharp, the foundation’s evaluation and research officer.

Welborn released a previous survey in 2008. The design of that survey was different, Tharp said, so it’s impossible to make direct comparisons between those results and the new ones.

But, she said, in the big picture the results haven’t changed much.

“The same issues rose to the top this time, compared to 2008.”

Welborn developed the survey in consultation with Evansville’s Diehl Evaluation and Consulting Services, along with the Kent State (Ohio) University Survey Research Lab.

Between March and August of last year, surveyors contacted a random sample of residents via cellphones, prepaid cellphones and land lines.

A total of 4,312 adults completed the survey, and surveyors also collected information from adults on 898 children under age 18.

The survey includes residents of a seven-county area: Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Gibson and Dubois counties in Indiana; along with Henderson County, Kentucky and Saline County, Illinois.

Some of the attendees at Thursday’s gathering said the Welborn survey data is a great help as they set their own organizations’ priorities.

Scott Wylie, the director of the Vanderburgh Community Foundation, said his group uses the data to help it make grant-related decisions. Health is one of the focus areas in which the Vanderburgh Community Foundation awards grants.

“We really depend on their data and information like this,” Wylie said.