Neighborhood Health Assessment:�Sierra Madre, CA (91024)
Megan Underbrink• PHHA 321, Dr. Andy Miller
(Zip Code 91024,
81.20 years)
My Address
The life expectancy for my zipcode was 81.20 years. Sierra Madre’s average is 0.2 years older than California’s life expectancy, but 0.1 years younger than LA counties life expectancy.
Neighborhood Health Data - Health Community Conditions
The image to the left displays the California Healthy Places Index, my zip code in Sierra Madre ranks fairly high for healthy community conditions; having healthier conditions than 78.9% other zip codes in the state. Only 21.1% of zip codes in the state have healthier conditions than Sierra Madre.
Neighborhood Health Data: Overall Health Outcomes
The City Health Dashboard did not have Sierra Madre so I chose the next city closest to it, Pasadena, CA. The images below from City Health Dashboard shows how Pasadena (the yellow bar) is doing better than the average (triangle) in terms of select health outcomes in almost every category. Pasadena has higher rates of cardiovascular disease deaths and a higher life expectancy. It has lower premature deaths from all causes, frequent mental distress, frequent physical distress, high blood pressure, low birthweight, obesity, and opioid overdose death. Pasadena is comparable in terms of rates of diabetes and colorectal cancer deaths. Pasadena has great health outcomes
Source: https://www.cityhealthdashboard.com/CA/Pasadena/metric-detail?metricId=31&dataPeriod=2020
Neighborhood Health Data: Premature Deaths
Pasadena has lower rates of premature deaths from all causes compared to other cities. Looking at the demographic details more closely tells us that the rate of premature death from all causes for males is notably higher than females.
Source: www.cityhealthdashboard.com
Neighborhood Health Data: Health Behaviors
Pasadena has lower rates of binge drinking, physical inactivity, and smoking compared to other Dashboard cities. Along with this information I was also able to retrieve data on my address in Sierra Madre and the city had even lower rates of binge drinking, physical inactivity, and smoking. This data explains why the life expectancy in both Pasadena and Sierra Madre is higher compared to the state and counties average.
sources : https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/#, www.cityhealthdashboard.com
Neighborhood Health Data: Opioid Overdoses
I was unable to find a clear graph for opioid stats on the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard for all zip codes in Los Angeles, because of the sheer amount of zip codes in LA county. Instead I used the table feature to find data on my zipcode and I compared it to the zipcodes with the highest rates of opioid related deaths, ER visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions. My zip code had no opioid related deaths, ER visits, or hospitalizations, however it did have a considerable amount of prescriptions for opioids. I also found on the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard that the highest rates for opioid overdoses in LA county were within the age range of 25 to 35. The graph data (on the right) on ER visits and hospitalizations due to opioid use in LA county, shows a dramatic increase.
Source:https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/
Data on zip codes with highest rates of opioid deaths and prescribing
Data on my zipcode (91024) on rates of opioid deaths and prescribing
ED visits
Hospitalizations
Health Equity Data: Social Determinants of Health
Pasadena is doing well in terms of diversity and racial segregation. The city also has better Broadband connection than the dashboard average. However Pasadena can improve their elementary education. Their third-grade reading scores were below average and the chronic absenteeism was higher than normal. Pasadena also shows higher rates of income inequality and unemployment (on a current city level). The city matched the average on rates of High school completion. Sources: www.cityhealthdashboard.com
Health Equity Data: Social Determinants of Health
The data below shows Pasadena’s high risk for lead exposure in general, and within housing. On the upside, Pasadena has great park access and walkability for their residents. They match averages in Air pollution in particulate matter and ozone. Pasadena Health officials should assess the city's water and service pipes for lead. The risk for lead exposure is abnormally high in Pasadena.
Sources: www.cityhealthdashboard.com
Health Equity Data: Food Security and Healthy Food Access
My zip code in Sierra Madre is not in a Food Desert. According to California Food Policy Advocates, 44% of adults in Los Angeles county are food insecure and 50% of its children are food insecure.
Sources:
https://nourishca.org/GeneralNutrition/CFPAPublic
ations/FoodInsecurity-Factsheet-2019.pdf,
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-acc
ess-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/
Standing water in wooded areas and trees is a mosquito breeding ground. Mosquitoes carry diseases such as malaria which kill more people than anything else. Sierra Madre has a pool right below the San Gabriel mountains. The pool lets water seep into the water table. Many mosquitoes settle in the tall grass near the pool. The Sierra Nevada foothills is a primary climate for mosquitoes. Currently there are about 1200 cases of reported malaria in the US each year. Three hundred of these cases are Californians, that’s twenty five percent of occurrences. Mosquitoes are a growing health issue. They not only carry malaria but diseases such as yellow fever, dengue, and chikungunya. The Climate change crisis has also contributed to the increase risk. Sierra Madre residents have complained about the mosquitos and painful bites in the warmer months. The pool is right behind the local little league field. Games and practices in the spring also come with bites and a greater risk of disease.
Source:https://www.cityofsierramadre.com/services/publicsafety/invasive_mosquito_alert#:~:text=Please%20report%20black%20and%20white,in%20your%20yard%20and%20home.
Mosquitoes
In my neighborhood the unlevel sidewalks are a growing issue. Large oak trees grow well in the Sierra Madre climate. Most streets and sidewalks are lined with the large trees and many of their roots disrupt the the leveling of the sidewalk cement. The unlevel sidewalks prevent residents from walking and exercising because of the risk of injury. The lack of exercise and daily movement can contribute to unhealthy living habits. Walking is one of the healthiest forms of exercise and this disturbance is encouraging people to drive instead of walk. Insufficient exercise can lead to a greater risk in heart disease and type two diabetes. A way to correct this would be to preserve the oak trees that interfere with sidewalks. Sidewalks that have been uprooted should be corrected in order to prevent injury to walkers and promote healthy movement in the community.
Uneven Sidewalks
To the right is a densely populated mountain canyon with a 70 year old dam. The dam is at the top of a steep street right above a residential neighborhood. Many houses are less than 100 feet from the damn and would be a direct target if the dam were to flood. The age of the damn is a concern for residents because the material may be worn and construction regulations when the dam was built were not as strict. The slope of the streets is also a flood hazard. This specific area is right below the mountains and every time there is a heavy rain, water and debris from the mountains rapidly runs down to the community streets. The fast flow of water is sometimes strong enough to knock down trash cans, furthermore polluting the neighborhood. This health hazard prevents people from leaving their house in times of heavy rain and is a serious flood risk.
Flood Hazard
In this neighborhood there are more bars and liquor stores than grocery and health food stores. The ratio of bars and liquor stores to grocery is four to one. The bars and liquor stores are in the heart of downtown Sierra Madre. The easy access promotes unhealthy drinking habits in the community. Downtown is the hub of social activity and the bars encourage social gatherings to revolve around drinking. Drinking and over drinking can cause negative health outcomes and increase the likelihood of a person developing alcoholism. Alcohol can be the forefront of injury, violence, and alcohol poisoning. Long term alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, memory loss, mental health problems, and cancer. The risk of these are amplified when the community makes liquor stores and bars so easily accessible.
Bars and Liquor Stores
In the warmer months bears come down from the San Gabriel mountains for water and food. In the summer bears eat berries, dandelions and cabbage like plants. The high elevations bears normally reside in have fewer food and water sources. Lower elevations have easier access to water and trash cans (filled with food). Bears make their way down the mountain and get into to trash, backyard pools, and even break into homes for food. This issue has become a public health concern for Sierra Madre residents. Last year there were over 30 calls reporting bears in September alone. Hiking trails have become more dangerous and prevented people from hiking. A viral clip found in the source below shows a woman faced with an aggressive bear on a narrow trail. The woman acts calm and tries to slowly walk back but the bear quickly lunges toward her. City officials and residents of Sierra Madre agreed that safely tranquilizing the bear and relocating it was the best solution to the issue.
Bears
Source: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/sierra-madre-hiker-encounters-bear-and-2-cubs-on-trail/amp/
Environmental Health Data
My zipcodes overall CalEnviroScreen score is 15% and that its overall burden is a little below average. It’s highest pollution burdens are related to Ozone and Particulate matter or PM2.5. Particulate matter is a mixture that can include organic chemicals, dust, soot, and metals.
Source: https://oehha.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=8dad35dcd2274285874e60871c404edc
CalEnviroScreen Score -15%
Overall Pollution Burden 30-40%
Ozone= 69%
Particulate Matter- 53%
Climate- Related Health Risks
Source: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OHE/Pages/ClimateHealthProfileReports.aspx
Anticipated climate related impacts for Los Angeles County include:
Population sub groups that are most vulnerable to climate change related impacts:
Public health strategies to implement in Los Angeles County
Week 15: If I could reimagine this neighborhood to fully support our health and safety, it would look like this.
Week 16- Final Thoughts… What have I learned?