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SUMMARY
Data gathered by West Virginia University under contract with the Appalachian Regional Commission regarding Appalachian health status including mortality was used to analyze to identify health disparities issues with cancer and other major causes of death. Mortality patterns are quite different for premature and 65+ mortality age groups. Appalachian counties have a significantly higher premature mortality rates than the US population. Some disease mortality tends to be worse in distressed counties, particularly for the older population, and the younger population tends to bear an unequal burden in non-distressed counties. There is no clear or strong pattern evident based on urban-rural county categorization, although in more rural counties the older population tends to bear an unequal burden of mortality while in more urban counties the younger population tends to bear an unequal burden of mortality. Specific findings include: diabetes and colorectal cancer mortality is worse in distressed counties for all ages; stroke and COPD mortality is worse in non-distressed counties for all ages; all cancer, heart disease, and lung cancer mortality is worse in non-distressed counties for ages 35-64 but little disparity is found for ages 65+.
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FINDINGS
14.1 It was determined that mortality patterns were quite different for premature and 65+ mortality age groups.
14.2 We found some disease mortality tends to be worse in distressed counties, and some is better.
14.3 In more rural counties, the older population tends to bear an unequal burden of mortality.
14.4 In more urban counties, the younger population tends to bear an unequal burden of mortality.
14.5 In distressed counties, the older population universally bears an unequal burden of mortality. In non-distressed counties, the younger population tends to bear an unequal burden of mortality.
14.6 States where mortality burden falls unequally on older population: Kentucky, New York, Ohio. States where mortality burden falls unequally on younger population: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee.
14.7 No clear or strong patterns evident based on urban-rural county categorization.
14.8 Diabetes and colorectal cancer worse in distressed counties, for all ages. Stroke and COPD are worse in non-distressed counties for all ages. All cancer, heart disease, and lung cancer worse in non-distressed counties for ages 35-64, relatively little disparity for ages 65+.
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