Health Profile Report for Santa Clara County
By Cinthia Rodriguez – El Observador

On Tuesday, July 20, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department released the Health Profile Report, in which the health of 1.8 million county residents was examined and provides a picture of overall health.
The report shows that Santa Clara County is healthy on the surface, but a deeper look reveals discrepancies that show certain populations are more at risk for poor health and disease than overall county results. Discrepancies are differences in health status among subgroups defined by certain characteristics like race, income, or education.
The county’s population is diverse and has no ethnic majority. The county also has a large foreign-born population, with 38% of its residents born outside the U.S. This represents the highest proportion of immigrants in any county in the state.
“In looking at the data, we can now target our limited resources and really fix some of the areas that really say something about our community,” said Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, Santa Clara County Health Officer. “We’ve made a lot progress, but again we have a lot more to do.”
The progress includes the overall life expectancy, from 76 years in 1980 to more than 80 years now. The percentage of high school students, as well as the number of adults, who smoke dropped. The teen birth rates also dropped but are highest among Hispanic females.
The health officer also talked about the areas that need improvement and the existing discrepancies. For example, access to health care has declined while obesity and diabetes are rising. More than 4 in 10 Hispanics are uninsured and 68% were overweight or obese. There is also a higher proportion of Hispanic adults that have been diagnosed with diabetes. Hispanics also account for 14% of the Tuberculosis cases in the county.
“We must change behaviors and help our community have greater access to healthier foods and encourage everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables,” said Ken Yeager, President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
Part of the Champions for Change Network for a Healthy California, the Public Health Department is working with its community partners to promote healthy eating and physical activity through public education campaigns and local activities.
The report suggests that overweight rates are higher among low-income families and understanding something like that can help determine the health programs and policies that are needed. But income is only one of the many things that can affect health.
“The report helps us zoom in on the need of specific communities, such as the Latino community,” said Dana Bunnett, Executive Director of Kids in Common. “We make sure that all our kids are insured, including kids who might not be documented.”
Overall, the County of Santa Clara has taken the lead on policy issues designed to reduce obesity and related diseases, like banning toys with unhealthy children’s meals.

To view the Santa Clara County Health Profile Report, visit: www.sccphd.org

Ken Yeager, President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, announced the release of the Health Profile Report on Tuesday, July 20 at San Jose’s Government Center.