Report Highlights - April 1998
(Prepared by the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine)
The Rapides Foundation is dedicated to improving the community health and well-being of Central Louisiana through a focused program of grant making. In order to assure grant decisions are based on current, valid and locally specific data, the Foundation contracted with the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine to perform a Community Assessment in its 11-parish service area. These parishes include Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Evangeline, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon and Winn parishes.
Tulane researchers gathered data through the use of written and telephone surveys, interviews and focus groups, as well as through the use of local, state and federal databases. They also compiled an inventory of community resources in partnership with health and human service organizations in Central Louisiana.
At the end of the survey period, the research team met with the Rapides Foundation administration to review their findings and to identify the most pressing and important issues that emerged. The following 12 issues present the areas of greatest concern impacting the health and well-being of Central Louisiana:
- Alcohol & Drug Use and Related Behaviors
- Children At-Risk
- Chronic Disease Prevention
- Economic Opportunity
- Educational Attainment
- Health of Older Adults
- Access to Healthcare Services
- Infant Mortality
- Obesity
- Tobacco Use
- Uninsured
- Recreational Access for Youth
Initiative Development Issues - April 1998
The Foundation trustees evaluated the findings of the Central Louisiana Community Assessment
and the SGS Arts and Cultural Assessment and adopted priority issues for initiative development.
A resource panel with expertise in maternal and child health, adolescent health, gerontology,
education, economic and community development and arts and humanities advised the Foundation
Board of Directors as it considered the significance and tractability of the wide range of issues.
Consensus was developed for a portfolio of priority issues to be strategically addressed through
funding initiatives over the next five years:
| Priority Issues |
Initiatives |
| Access to Healthcare |
Healthcare Access Initiative |
| Functional Status of Older Adults |
Healthy Seniors Initiative |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior |
Healthy Futures Initiative I |
| Teen Pregnancy |
Healthy Futures Initiative II |
| Parenting and Early Childhood Development |
Healthy Children Initiative |
| Building Community Development Infrastructure |
Healthy Cenla Initiative |
| Arts & Culture Development |
Arts & Humanities Initiative |
Education:
Leadership and Professional Development in the Learning Environment |
Education Initiative |
| Linking Education and Community/Economic Development |
Workforce Development Initiative |
Alcohol and Drug Use - Related Behaviors
Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
First drink of alcohol before 13 years of age
46.7% Central LA
32.4% Nation
Lifetime alcohol use
87.7% Central LA
80.4% Nation
Binge drinking
65.9% Central LA
32.6% Nation
Alcohol use in past month
57.8% Central LA
51.6% Nation
Drinking on school property
8.4% Central LA
6.3% Nation
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Binge drinking
33.6% Central LA
13.9% Nation
Chronic drinking
9.6% Central LA
2.8% Nation
Secondary Data
Louisiana statewide alcohol-related vehicle death rate is one of the highest in the nation.
10.6 deaths per 100,000 in LA
6.8 deaths per 100,000 Nation
Community Perceptions
Drug use linked with crime and poor motivation among users
Drug use facilitated by boredom and low parental supervision
Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
Riding with a driver who had been drinking
50.2% Central LA
38.8% Nation
Drinking and driving
28.8% Central LA
15.4% Nation
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Drinking and driving
4.8% Central LA
2.3% Nation
Secondary Data
Children in households below federal poverty line
31% LA, 21% Nation
5 Central LA parishes with percentages greater than state
Children dependent on Medicaid
At least 24% in 9 Central LA parishes
Children dependent on AFDC
At least 12% in 5 Central LA parishes
Children dependent on Food Stamps
7 Central LA parishes greater than state average (23%)
Children receiving WIC
Only Rapides (8.1%) lower than state (8.3%)
Community Perceptions
Abuse of public assistance systems
Working, yet still falling through the cracks
Secondary Data
Hospital discharges due to diseases of the circulatory system
14.4% LA
14.9% Nation
8 Central LA parishes greater than 15.2%
Hospital discharges due to diseases of the respiratory system
8.9% LA
8.6% Nation
At least 9.0% in 10 Central LA parishes
Higher mortality rates due to diseases of the heart
270 deaths per 100,000 in LA
281 per 100,000 in Nation
9 Central LA parishes higher than state
Higher mortality rates due to cerebrovascular diseases
59 deaths per 100,000 in LA
60 per 100,000 in Nation
8 Central LA parishes higher than state
Higher mortality rates due to diabetes mellitus
23 deaths per 100,000 in Nation
6 Central LA parishes higher than Nation
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Informed of high blood pressure
30.4% Central LA
22.0% Nation
Informed of diabetes
6.6% Central LA
4.4% Nation
Informed of high cholesterol
29.6% Central LA
19.4% Nation
Limitations due to health for ages 18-64
18.1% Central LA
3.0% Nation
Limitations due to health for ages 65 and older
34.5% Central LA
14.7% Nation
Secondary Data
Households with incomes less than $15,000
32% LA
21% Nation
8 Central LA parishes with percentages greater than state
Low per capita income
$14,664 LA
$18,415 Nation
Every Cenla parish lower than state
Unemployment
6.9% LA
5.7% Nation
At least 8% in 5 Cenla parishes
Percentage of household income paid in rent
27.9% LA
26.4% Nation
7 Central LA parishes greater than state
Majority of Central LA parishes lower than state and nation in having complete plumbing and a telephone
Community Perceptions
Shortage of jobs
Lack of local industry
Poor employability due to low education
Secondary Data
High drop-out rate among 9th and 10th graders
3 Central LA parishes significantly higher than state
Low educational attainment
Over 40% of population in 5 Cenla parishes did not complete high school vs. 32% LA, and 24% Nation
Lower average teacher salaries in every parish compared to state and nation
$26,800 LA
$36,802 Nation
Lower expenditure per student
$4,468 LA
6 Central LA parishes lower than state
Lower average composite scores on the ACT
19.4 LA, 20.9 Nation
8 Central LA parishes lower than state
Higher first-time college freshmen enrollment in remedial courses
49% LA
9 Central LA parishes worse than state
Youth Risk Behavioral Surve
Plan to graduate from high school
97% of students
Plan to pursue post high school education
18.6% plan on attending technical school or some college
29.0% planning to attend college also plan on achieving a Masters or Doctorate degree
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Low educational attainment
21.3% did not complete high school
40.5% graduated from high school or completed GED
16.1% obtained college degree
Community Perceptions
High frequency of high school dropouts
Underqualified for available jobs
Lack of job training opportunities
Secondary Data
Population 65 and older
12% Central LA
12% LA
13% Nation
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
75.5% retired
57.8% had at least a high school education
88.3% owned their own homes
22.5% mental health not good at some point in the past month
46.3% physical health not good at some point in the past month
54.5% informed of high blood pressure
39.7% informed of high cholesterol
15.8% informed of diabetes
83.5% felt quite safe or extremely safe in their neighborhoods
33.0% need assistance with routine activities
17.0% need assistance with personal care
34.5% report activities being limited because of impairment or health problems vs. 14.7% Nation
Community Perceptions
Crime and victimization
Fear of retaliation for reporting crime activity
Need for assisted living facilities
Limited transportation
Deteriorating neighborhoods
High cost of medication
Lack of health insurance
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Lack of health insurance
25.9% Central LA
13.9% Nation
One or more places to go to receive healthcare advice
82.2% Central LA
85.1% Nation
15.4% of adults did not obtain medical care due to cost in the prior twelve months
Community Perceptions
High health insurance premiums
High prescription costs
Many uninsured working poor
Insufficient primary care providers
Limited and delayed access
Secondary Data
Infant mortality rate
9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births LA vs. 7.5 per 1,000 Nation
Majority of Central LA parishes with percentages greater than state
Births to teenagers
19% LA
13% Nation
9 Central LA parishes higher than state
Low birthweight births
7% Nation
9 Central LA parishes with higher percentages
7 Central LA parishes 13%+ for African-American births
Very low birthweight births
1.9% LA
1.3% Nation
Most Central LA parishes higher than state
Women receiving prenatal care in the first trimester
74% LA
81% Nation
7 Central LA parishes less than 60% for African Americans
Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
HIV/AIDS education in school
74.1% Central LA
86.3% Nation
Discussed HIV/AIDS with a family member
54.0% Central LA
63.2% Nation
Community Perceptions
Teen Pregnancy a major problem
Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
Tried tobacco before age 13
36.5% Central LA
24.9% Nation
Smoked in the past 30 days
59.5% Central LA
34.8% Nation
Smoked on 20 of the past 30 days
31.2% Central LA
16.1% Nation
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
Lifetime frequency - 100 cigarettes
48.3% Central LA
48.4% Nation
Current smokers
25.8% Central LA
22.4% Nation
Young adult current smokers
32% Central LA
24.1% Nation
Secondary Data
Uninsured
20.5% LA
15.4% Nation
Self-employed uninsured
65% LA
25% Nation
Uninsured agricultural workers
95.8% LA
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
No health insurance
25.9% Central LA
13.9% Nation
Community Perceptions
High health insurance premiums
High out-of-pocket prescription costs
Falling through the cracks