Health Department Receives Health Survey Data

Galesburg, IL –The Knox County Health Department has announced the receipt of 2007 Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data for Knox County. BRFSS is the primary source of information on behaviors and conditions related to the leading causes of death for adults in the general population of Knox County. 

 “It has always been a priority for the Knox County Health Department to routinely collect and provide information regarding health status of the community,” Greg Chance, Public Health Administrator for the Health Department stated.  “The Illinois County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (ICBRFS) is an important component in the completion of the Community Health Analysis for Knox County.  By allowing the Health Department to compare Knox County data to rural Illinois and state-wide data; it is possible to identify those health indicators which need to be addressed,” reports Chance.

Notable items reported in the Behavioral Rick Factor data include increased obesity numbers for County residents.  The 2007 data indicates that 32.2% of Knox County residents report that they are obese; up from the 21.5% reported only three years ago in 2004.  “This increase is no surprise;” stated Michele Fishburn, Director of Community Health Improvement for the Health Department, “it is a trend that is taking place across Illinois and the United States as well.”

Additionally, Knox County shows an increase in individuals reporting that a doctor has diagnosed them with arthritis; 36.3% in 2007, up from 22.7% in 2004; while 72.2% reported seeing a doctor in the past 12 months for joint pain. Diabetes numbers are also on the rise, 8% reported in 2004 that a doctor had advised them they had diabetes, 10.6% reported this statistic in 2007. 

Access to health care challenges continue to be an issue in the County; the number of individuals reporting that they had avoided a doctor’s visit or not filled a prescription medication due to cost rose in 2007 as well; 13.5% and 13.2% consecutively; this is an increase from 9.6% and 11.3% in 2004. “The access to care dilemma remains at the forefront of the minds of the Health Department and the entire health care community,” stated Chance, “we have heard the community voice their concerns and key community stakeholders continue to work to provide residents access to appropriate health care services.” 

On a more positive note, the percentage of Knox County residents who reported that they were a smoker in 2004 was 22.6%; 2007 numbers show a decrease of nearly 5% to 18.2%.  Also, the percentage of individuals reporting that they have no health insurance coverage was down from 15.1% in 2004 to 10.5% in the current 2007 survey.  “These are both very positive changes for the community,” remarked Fishburn, “and surely result from the collective efforts of multiple agencies throughout Knox County.”

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is a state-based program that collects information from Illinois adults via monthly telephone surveys about personal health behaviors and individual risk factors.  Illinois County Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys (ICBRFS) are those conducted for individual counties; they are conducted using the same methods and questions as the BRFSS.  For more information regarding the ICBRFS, please contact the Knox County Health Department at (309) 344-2224, or visit www.knoxcountyhealth.org.