Senior Health and Quality of Life Assessment - 2001

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County


 


General Information

150 Seniors completed the survey

22% of all survey participants are Seniors

66% are female

41% live alone

57% are married

28% have incomes below $14,999;

36% have incomes between $15,000-29,999

 

Health Care/Health Status

65% report health is good or excellent

35% report health as fair or poor

87% get health information from physicians

92% have Medicare; 51% Medicare supplement

52% spend less than $100/month on prescriptions; 22% spend more than $200/month

 

Healthy People 2010 Goals Exceeded

99.3% had blood pressure check within two years.   

    HP2010 goal is 95%

97% had cholesterol check within five years.

  HP2010 goal is 80%

66% had colon cancer screen within two years. 

HP2010 goal is 50%

72% had a mammogram within two years 

HP2010 goal is 70%

5% smoke.  HP2010 goal is 12%

 

Healthy People 2010 Goals Not Met

83% always wear their seatbelts.

    HP 2010 goal is 92%

69% eat at least two servings of fruit/day 

    HP2010 goal is 75%

37% eat at least three servings of vegetables/day             HP2010 goal is 50%

18% exercise moderately 5-7 days per week

    HP2010 goal is 30%.

31% engage in no leisure time physical activity  HP2010 goal is no more than 20%

 

Safety

83% always wear their seat belts

44% have firearms in their homes or vehicles

73% store firearms locked and unloaded

17% have fallen in the past 6 months

Exercise and Nutrition

42% are overweight

71% consider their diet good or excellent

62% consider themselves overweight

31% exercise less than once a week

59% exercise moderately two days/week or less

 

Prevention

95% had routine check-up within two years

90% had blood sugar checked within two years

79% usually get flu shots

41% have not been immunized for pneumonia

53% have not had tetanus shot within 10 years

39% never had a bone density screen

Women:  33% perform monthly breast self-exam

   71% had a Pap Test within two years

Men:       86% had a prostate exam within two years

11% do monthly testicular self-exam

 

Mental Health and Support Systems

83% pray or meditate on a regular basis

Top two sources of stress: health, family

Top two sources of support: family, church

24% felt sad two or more weeks in past year

 

Tobacco and Alcohol

7% use tobacco products

5% smoke cigarettes

69% avoid second-hand smoke

89% report little or no alcohol consumption

 

Senior Independence Issues

31% have trouble with home/yard maintenance

22% have trouble driving

Top sources of help for daily tasks: spouse, child

22% count on no one to help with daily tasks

60% are very comfortable getting where need to go

47% are very comfortable making ends meet

22% somewhat/very uncomfortable with insurance

      paperwork

88% have a will

57% have advanced directives/living will