Stories about Diverse Populations

1. 

   Chattanooga & Hamilton County Health Brief

   County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. This health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s community health profile. Scroll down to read about health in Chattanooga and Hamilton County or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Hamilton County? Population 361,613 (2017) Population Growth Hamilton County has grown by […]

   Chattanooga & Hamilton County Health Brief

   County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. This health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s community health profile. Scroll down to read about health in Chattanooga and Hamilton County or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Hamilton County? Population 361,613 (2017) Population Growth Hamilton County has grown by […]
2. 

   Include Me In

   Have you ever been in a situation when you needed something done but the person you were talking to didn’t understand you, or worse, dismissed your concern as unimportant? If so, did you ever get to the point that you just threw your hands in the air and gave up? Imagine if that happened when it came to your health. “Historically, minorities have not always been treated well when seeking health care, which may result from issues with implicit or unconscious bias,” says Chara Stewart-Abrams, Memphis chapter president of the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE), an organization dedicated to developing greater minority representation in health care leadership and improving care for minority patients. “When a patient is not […]

   Include Me In: How diversity in the health care workforce creates a ripple effect of improved outcomes

   Have you ever been in a situation when you needed something done but the person you were talking to didn’t understand you, or worse, dismissed your concern as unimportant? If so, did you ever get to the point that you just threw your hands in the air and gave up? Imagine if that happened when it came to your health. “Historically, minorities have not always been treated well when seeking health care, which may result from issues with implicit or unconscious bias,” says Chara Stewart-Abrams, Memphis chapter president of the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE), an organization dedicated to developing greater minority representation in health care leadership and improving care for minority patients. “When a patient is not […]
3. 

   Report Card: Senior Health

   There are more than 1 million people ages 65+ in Tennessee. That’s 16% of Tennessee’s 6.7 million people. National Health Index The conditions with the biggest health impacts in Tennessee that affect seniors are: Hypertension: 13.5% Depression: 8.8% Substance or alcohol abuse: 8.2% High cholesterol: 7.8% Heart disease: 7.6% Diabetes: 5.9% COPD: 4% According to the BCBS Health Index, the health impact of a condition is how much it adversely affects the health of a population. Hypertension 1 in every 2 Tennessee seniors has high blood pressure. Depression Diabetes More than 25% of U.S. seniors have diabetes. That percentage is higher in Tennessee. Heart disease Alzheimer’s disease 110,000 Tennesseans age 65+ have Alzheimer’s disease. There has been a 148% increase […]

   Report Card: Senior Health: A quick look at the over-65 population in Tennessee

   There are more than 1 million people ages 65+ in Tennessee. That’s 16% of Tennessee’s 6.7 million people. National Health Index The conditions with the biggest health impacts in Tennessee that affect seniors are: Hypertension: 13.5% Depression: 8.8% Substance or alcohol abuse: 8.2% High cholesterol: 7.8% Heart disease: 7.6% Diabetes: 5.9% COPD: 4% According to the BCBS Health Index, the health impact of a condition is how much it adversely affects the health of a population. Hypertension 1 in every 2 Tennessee seniors has high blood pressure. Depression Diabetes More than 25% of U.S. seniors have diabetes. That percentage is higher in Tennessee. Heart disease Alzheimer’s disease 110,000 Tennesseans age 65+ have Alzheimer’s disease. There has been a 148% increase […]

Latest Better Tennessee Stories

1. 

   Report Card: Dental Health In Tennessee

   Tennessee ranks 38th for dental health in the nation. Here’s how we stack up.

   Report Card: Dental Health In Tennessee: How our mouths affect our health

   Tennessee ranks 38th for dental health in the nation. Here’s how we stack up.
2. 

   7 Things You Don’t Know About Health in Memphis

   Today, more Memphians than ever before are working together to improve health in their city. Here are some things you may not know about health in Memphis.

   7 Things You Don’t Know About Health in Memphis

   Today, more Memphians than ever before are working together to improve health in their city. Here are some things you may not know about health in Memphis.
3. 

   Forces at Play

   Could the path to happiness start at your local park? It sounds too good to be true, but research increasingly shows it’s a real possibility. A recent study of well-being in 44 major cities across the U.S. found that park coverage was among the best predictors of residents’ health and happiness. The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is investing in Memphis parks through its first BlueCross Healthy Place project, the revitalization of David Carnes Park in the city’s Whitehaven neighborhood. “Concentrating our giving on BlueCross Healthy Places will allow us to have a bigger impact within our communities, reaching both urban and rural areas across the state,” said Scott Wilson, BlueCross director of community relations and health foundation. “We’re […]

   Forces at Play: Exploring the intuitive design of the upcoming BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park in Memphis

   Could the path to happiness start at your local park? It sounds too good to be true, but research increasingly shows it’s a real possibility. A recent study of well-being in 44 major cities across the U.S. found that park coverage was among the best predictors of residents’ health and happiness. The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is investing in Memphis parks through its first BlueCross Healthy Place project, the revitalization of David Carnes Park in the city’s Whitehaven neighborhood. “Concentrating our giving on BlueCross Healthy Places will allow us to have a bigger impact within our communities, reaching both urban and rural areas across the state,” said Scott Wilson, BlueCross director of community relations and health foundation. “We’re […]