California Shows Continued Improvement in AIDS, Cancer and Other National Health Goals

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Category: Health News

Sacramento, California - California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith announced that the state has shown continued improvements in slowing the rate of death as a result of AIDS, cancers and heart disease. The announcement came as CDPH released its annual County Health Status Profiles.

“The improvements are encouraging and show how far we’ve come,” said Dr. Smith. “Despite the achievements, it’s important to remember there are areas, especially in chronic conditions, where we have opportunities to do better. We also need to ensure that all communities show improvement so we can truly make California the healthiest state in the nation.”

The County Health Status Profiles 2016, released today by CDPH as part of National Public Health Week (April 4 - 10), provide statewide and county-level data to report on the course of health promotion and preventive services, including the objectives of Healthy People 2020 National Objectives.  

Highlights of the County Health Status Profiles 2016 include:

  •  A 28 percent decrease in the incidence of AIDS (aged 13 and older). While San Francisco’s incidence of AIDS continues to be above the state average, it has decreased 37 percent from the previous three-year period.
  • All cancers age-adjusted death rates (including female breast cancer, colorectal, lung cancer and prostate cancer) decreased, with the lung cancer death-rate decreasing more than 12 percent.
  • Infant mortality has decreased for all races. Notably, Black infant mortality decreased nearly 13 percent, Asian/Pacific Islander decreased nearly 11 percent, White decreased eight percent, and Hispanic decreased nearly six percent.
  • Births to teen mothers (aged 15 – 19 years) decreased nearly 26 percent.
  • Coronary heart disease age-adjusted death rate decreased nearly 12 percent.
  • Tuberculosis decreased nearly 11 percent.
  • Gonorrhea incidence among males in the 15-44 age group increased by 54 percent. Gonorrhea incidence rate for females increased by 35 percent.
  • Chlamydia incidence increased by seven percent.