D029 Population Health Data Paper
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Western Governors University
D029 Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care
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Date
Population Health Data Paper Introduction
Highlands County, Florida, spans a considerable geographic area of 1,106 square miles, making it one of the largest counties in the state. According to the 2020 census, the population exceeds 104,000 residents. Despite its size and population density, the county’s health outcomes lag behind both Florida’s state averages and national benchmarks. This analysis explores the county’s sociodemographic composition, health indicators, and contributing factors to identify areas for targeted intervention and improvement.
Sociodemographic Profile
What are the primary population characteristics of Highlands County compared to national figures?
The sociodemographic landscape of Highlands County reveals distinct differences when compared to the overall United States. The following table presents key data points illustrating these contrasts:
| Population Characteristic | Highlands County (%) | United States (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Population Estimate | 105,649 | 333,271,411 |
| Population Growth Rate | 6.3 | 1.0 |
| Persons Under Age 18 | 16.6 | 27.1 |
| Persons 65 Years and Over | 36.2 | 17.3 |
| Female Population | 51.1 | 50.4 |
| White Alone | 84.7 | 75.5 |
| Black or African American Alone | 10.8 | 13.6 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native Alone | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Asian Alone | 1.6 | 6.3 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders Alone | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Two or More Races | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.6 | 19.1 |
| White Alone, Not Hispanic or Latino | 64.3 | 58.9 |
| Language Other Than English Spoken at Home (Age 5+) | 20.4 | 21.7 |
| Households with a Computer | 91.3 | 94.0 |
| High School Graduate or Higher | 86.2 | 89.1 |
| Disability Under Age 65 | 12.8 | 8.9 |
| Without Health Insurance Under Age 65 | 19.1 | 9.3 |
| Civilian Labor Force Participation (Age 16+) | 43.5 | 63.0 |
| Females in Civilian Labor Force (Age 16+) | 40.1 | 58.5 |
| Per Capita Income (Past 12 Months) | $12,147 | $15,224 |
| Persons in Poverty | 15.6 | 11.5 |
| Population Density (per square mile) | 99.5 | 93.8 |
Note: Data Source – United States Census Bureau (n.d.)
What insights does this sociodemographic profile provide about Highlands County?
The demographic structure of Highlands County is marked by a significantly older population, with more than 36% aged 65 and older—more than double the national average—indicating its appeal as a retirement destination. Conversely, the youth population under 18 is markedly smaller than the national proportion, which could impact community services and workforce replenishment in the future.
Racially, the county is less diverse, with a higher proportion of White residents and a slightly higher Hispanic or Latino population than national averages. Economic indicators point to challenges, including lower per capita income, higher poverty rates, and a notably higher rate of residents without health insurance. Labor force participation, particularly among women, is substantially lower than national averages. Additionally, a higher prevalence of disability among those under 65 underscores the county’s healthcare needs and socioeconomic vulnerabilities.
County Health Outcomes
How does Highlands County perform on key health indicators relative to state and national levels?
Between 2008 and 2022, several health trends in Highlands County reveal a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges:
- Uninsured Rate: Improved from roughly 30% in 2008 to approximately 19% in 2021 but remains above Florida’s and the national average.
- Primary Care Physician Availability: Remained largely unchanged, indicating stable but potentially insufficient access to primary care.
- Dentist Availability: Improved as the population-to-dentist ratio declined from about 3,500:1 in 2010 to 2,500:1 in 2022, signaling better dental care access.
- Preventable Hospital Stays: Significantly decreased, halving from nearly 6,000 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to under 3,000 in 2021, indicating improvements in managing chronic diseases and primary care access.
- Mammography Screening: Experienced a concerning drop from 45% in 2012 to less than 30% in 2021, raising alarms about early breast cancer detection.
- Flu Vaccination Rates: Showed no significant upward or downward trend over the period.
- Unemployment Rate: Varied, mirroring broader state and national fluctuations but without a clear sustained trend.
These data suggest areas of both advancement—such as dental care and preventable hospital stays—and areas needing urgent attention, especially mammography screening rates.
Health Factors
What factors shape the health landscape of Highlands County in comparison with Florida and the United States?
The following table highlights important health-related factors across these three geographic levels:
| Health Factor | Highlands County (%) | Florida (%) | United States (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoking | 21 | 16 | 15 |
| Access to Exercise Opportunities | 70 | 87 | 84 |
| Excessive Drinking | 18 | 17 | 18 |
| Primary Care Physicians (Population:1 Physician) | 1720:1 | 1370:1 | 1330:1 |
| High School Completion | 84 | 90 | 86 |
| Some College Education | 50 | 65 | 68 |
| Unemployment | 4.2 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
| Children in Single-Parent Households | 26 | 28 | 25 |
| Social Associations (per 10,000) | 11.9 | 7.1 | 9.1 |
| Children in Poverty | 24 | 17 | 16 |
| Injury Deaths (per 100,000) | 120 | 91 | 80 |
| Children Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch | 66 | 54 | 51 |
| Air Pollution (PM2.5 µg/m³) | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.4 |
| Severe Housing Problems | 12 | 19 | 17 |
Note: Data Source – County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (n.d.)
What health strengths and challenges emerge from this data?
Highlands County faces notable public health challenges such as elevated smoking rates and a high incidence of injury-related deaths, surpassing both state and national figures. These issues necessitate focused prevention and intervention strategies.
On a positive note, the county demonstrates strong social capital, evidenced by higher rates of social associations per capita, suggesting active community engagement and support networks.
Economic challenges remain prominent with elevated poverty rates, unemployment, and food insecurity among children, as indicated by high eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch programs. Despite these challenges, housing issues appear less severe than the state and national averages, which may suggest some relative stability in living conditions.
These diverse factors underscore the complexity of health determinants in Highlands County and emphasize the need for multifaceted approaches that address both social determinants and healthcare access.
Purpose of Health Factors Data Comparison
Why is it important to compare county-level data with state and national benchmarks?
Benchmarking local health data against broader state and national statistics provides a vital context for evaluating performance and identifying disparities. This comparative approach helps reveal gaps such as disproportionately high uninsured rates, which signal limited healthcare access and potential barriers to care (Borgschulte & Vogler, 2020). Without such comparisons, isolated data could lead to misinterpretation or underestimation of health needs. Therefore, aligning county data with wider trends enhances informed decision-making and efficient allocation of resources to improve population health.
Analysis and Proposal
What are the critical findings related to mammography screening, and what interventions are recommended?
A significant health concern is the steep decline in mammography screening rates—from 45% in 2012 down to less than 30% in 2021. To combat this decline, introducing a Mobile Mammography Initiative is advised. This program would bring mammography services directly to underserved and rural populations, effectively reducing geographic and logistical barriers to screening (Spak et al., 2020).
Mobile units can enhance accessibility, increase community awareness about breast cancer prevention, and minimize disruptions to individuals’ routines by delivering services at workplaces or residential areas.
How can advanced practice nurses (APNs) contribute to the success of this initiative?
APNs play a crucial role in both designing and implementing the program. Their responsibilities include:
- Coordinating scheduling for mobile unit visits across the county.
- Conducting community outreach and educational campaigns.
- Collaborating with healthcare providers to secure necessary funding and resources.
- Monitoring and evaluating program effectiveness to ensure progress toward Healthy People 2030 screening targets (Trivedi et al., 2022).
What are the initial steps for launching this program?
The foundational steps involve:
- Performing a thorough community needs assessment to identify demographic trends, current screening rates, and barriers to access.
- Establishing an interprofessional team of healthcare providers, community advocates, and local officials to delineate roles for data collection, outreach, screening, and evaluation.
- Securing funding through grants and community partnerships.
- Developing robust data collection and analysis mechanisms to monitor the program’s impact over time (Tsapatsaris & Reichman, 2021).
How can public awareness and engagement be enhanced?
Utilizing digital technology and social media is vital. APNs can:
- Leverage platforms like Facebook and Instagram to share information, engage local influencers, and execute targeted advertising campaigns.
- Develop user-friendly mobile applications to facilitate appointment scheduling, deliver real-time updates, and provide educational resources, especially targeting rural and marginalized groups (Al-dmour et al., 2020).
What evaluation methods should be employed?
The program should be assessed using key performance indicators such as increased mammography screening rates, expanded geographic reach, and elevated community awareness. Data collection should incorporate electronic health records, community surveys, and staff feedback to capture both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. Visualization tools like Tableau can assist in identifying trends and disparities, enabling ongoing data-driven refinements to the program (Huguet et al., 2020; Kim & Huang, 2021).
References
Al-dmour, H., Masa’deh, R., Salman, A., Abuhashesh, M., & Al-Dmour, R. (2020). Influence of social media platforms on public health protection against the COVID-19 pandemic via the mediating effects of public health awareness and behavioral changes: Integrated model. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22. https://doi.org/10.2196/19996
Borgschulte, M., & Vogler, J. (2020). Did the ACA Medicaid expansion save lives? Health Economics eJournal. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JHEALECO.2020.102333
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (n.d.). Highlands, Florida. https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/florida/highlands?year=2024
Huguet, N., Kaufmann, J., O’Malley, J., Angier, H., Hoopes, M., DeVoe, J., & Marino, M. (2020). Using electronic health records in longitudinal studies: Estimating patient attrition. Medical Care, 58(3), 231–238. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000001298
Kim, E., & Huang, C. (2021). Visual analytics in effects of gross domestic product to human immunodeficiency virus using tableau. International Journal of Machine Learning and Computing, 11(3), 219-223. https://doi.org/10.18178/IJMLC.2021.11.3.1038
Spak, D., Foxhall, L., Rieber, A., Hess, K., Helvie, M., & Whitman, G. (2020). Retrospective review of a mobile mammography screening program in an underserved population within a large metropolitan area. Academic Radiology, 27(11), 1575–1583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2020.07.012
Trivedi, U., Omofoye, T., Marquez, C., Sullivan, C., Benson, D., & Whitman, G. (2022). Mobile mammography services and underserved women. Diagnostics, 12(4), 902. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12040902
D029 Population Health Data Paper
Tsapatsaris, A., & Reichman, M. (2021). Project ScanVan: Mobile mammography services to decrease socioeconomic barriers and racial disparities among medically underserved women in NYC. Clinical Imaging, 78, 60-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.02.040
United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). Quick Facts Highlands County, Florida; United States. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/highlandscountyflorida,US/