Health Conditions
Addressing chronic health conditions is vital for community well-being. Heart disease, cancer, STIs (including HIV), obesity, and diabetes are major health challenges, impacting individuals and burdening healthcare systems. Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in Minnesota, highlighting the need for early detection and treatment. Obesity contributes to diabetes and heart disease, while effective management of diabetes is crucial to prevent complications. Focusing on these conditions can lead to targeted interventions and improved health outcomes, enhancing community quality of life.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is a critical health concern affecting communities, with significant variations in age-adjusted death rates per 100,000 residents from 2019 to 2023. Roseau County stands out with the highest rate at 175 deaths per 100,000 residents, far exceeding the Minnesota state average of 121. Pennington County also surpasses the state average, highlighting a pressing issue. Although Kittson, Marshall, and Red Lake counties are not statistically higher, their age-adjusted prevalence rates still exceed the state average, underscoring the widespread impact of heart disease in these areas.
| Location | Heart Disease | Confidence Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 120 | 119-121 |
| Kittson | 138 | 102-173 |
| Marshall | 137 | 110-163 |
| Pennington | 158 | 134-182 |
| Red Lake | 144 | 103-185 |
| Roseau | 175 | 150-200 |
Minnesota Department of Health (2024b)
Cancer
Cancer remains a significant public health challenge, affecting many individuals and communities. As of January 1, 2021, 316,110 Minnesota residents (5.5% of the population) were living with a history of malignant cancer. Quin counties have even higher prevalence rates: Kittson (7.4%), Marshall (7.9%), Pennington (6.0%), Red Lake (7.4%), and Roseau (5.6%). These statistics underscore the widespread impact of cancer and the critical need for ongoing support and resources. Additionally, specific cancers like lung and breast cancer further illustrate this burden, with Kittson County having the highest lung cancer rate at 68.3 per 100,000 people, and Roseau County having the highest breast cancer rate at 144.3 per 100,000 people. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions and continuous support for those affected.
| Location | Number of Persons Living with a History of of Cancer |
Percent of Population Living with a History of Cancer |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 3,16,110 | 5.5% |
| Kittson | 310 | 7.4% |
| Marshall | 710 | 7.9% |
| Pennington | 830 | 6.0% |
| Red Lake | 290 | 7.4% |
| Roseau | 860 | 5.6% |
Minnesota Department of Health (2024a)
| Location | Lung Cancer | Breast Cancer |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 55.6 | 135.7 |
| Kittson | 68.3 | 120.9 |
| Marshall | 66.8 | 133.7 |
| Pennington | 58.1 | 137.3 |
| Red Lake | 53.3 | 141.6 |
| Roseau | 58.8 | 144.3 |
Minnesota Department of Health (2023)
Dementia
Dementia is a growing concern, especially among older adults. In Minnesota, 11.9% of Medicare beneficiaries have dementia. This rate is slightly lower in Kittson (10.0%), Marshall (10.2%), and Pennington (10.3%) counties, with even lower rates in Red Lake (9.5%) and Roseau (7.6%) counties. While these rates are lower than the state average, they still pose a concern due to potential limited access to resources in these areas. Early detection, effective management, and community resources are crucial for support and reducing the burden of dementia.
| Location | Percent of Beneficiaries with Dementia |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 11.9% |
| Kittson | 10.0% |
| Marshall | 10.2% |
| Pennington | 10.3% |
| Red Lake | 9.5% |
| Roseau | 7.6% |
NORC at the University of Chicago (2024)
Diabetes
The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes is similar between Minnesota and the five Quin counties. However, Kittson, Marshall, Red Lake, and Roseau counties have lower rates of optimal diabetic care compared to the state. Optimal care includes controlling blood pressure, maintaining HbA1c levels, taking statins if tolerated, avoiding tobacco, and using daily aspirin for those with ischemic vascular disease (Minnesota Department of Health 2018-2022). This care is intended for patients aged 18-75. While the prevalence of a disease like diabetes cannot be fully-controlled and the reasons for lower optimal care rates in these counties remain unclear, improving community outreach programs could promote better prevention and care outcomes, which can be influenced by local efforts.
Obesity
Examining obesity is crucial due to its link to chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. While Minnesota and the five Quin counties have statistically similar obesity rates, Kittson and Marshall counties’ higher prevalence rates indicate a possible need for targeted interventions, and Pennington County’s lower prevalence rate suggests effective strategies that should continue.
Influenza
Minnesota uses several influenza surveillance methods, summarizing data by influenza season (October – April), rather than calendar year. Please refer to page 2 Hospital Influenza Cases by Season and page 4 Deaths associated with influenza by season in this MDH Summery report.
STI/HIV
Addressing behavioral factors is crucial, but it’s equally important to focus on STIs and HIV, which require effective prevention, testing, and treatment strategies. Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis data in this report should be compared within the same county for the same year since the data values are counts and do not factor in population change. In 2023, Kittson reported 7 Chlamydia cases, Marshall 18, Pennington 31, Red Lake 6, and Roseau 17. Gonorrhea cases were minimal, with Kittson, Marshall, and Red Lake reporting zero cases, Pennington 6, and Roseau 2. Syphilis cases were also low, with Kittson reporting zero, Marshall 1, Pennington 2, Red Lake 2, and Roseau zero. These counts must be interpreted carefully, but low counts provide knowledge that community efforts are being effective. While individuals can contract HIV/AIDS through various means, the low counts in the five Quin counties also point to effective community efforts in education about safe sex and prevention.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making breathing difficult. During an asthma attack, the airway lining swells, muscles tighten, and thick mucus clogs the airways. Asthma can affect people of all ages but often starts in childhood. With people spending up to 90% of their time indoors, the home environment is crucial for reducing asthma triggers. Common indoor triggers include pet dander, mold, pests, scented cleaning products, and secondhand smoke (Minnesota Department of Health 2022). All Quin counties had a lower age-adjusted asthma emergency visit prevalence per 10,000 residents for 2019-2021 compared to Minnesota, with Roseau County being the closest at 26.7.
| Location | Age-Adjusted |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 29.8 |
| Kittson | 8.2* |
| Marshall | 23.4 |
| Pennington | 18.4 |
| Red Lake | 21.7 |
| Roseau | 26.7 |
- Unstable Rate Data Source: Minnesota Department of Health (2019-2021)