WaHI Magazine
Short-Changed on Health Services, WaHI Residents Manage to Stay as Healthy as Other New Yorkers 
23 November 2003
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently released the latest Community Health Profile for Washington Heights and Inwood. The profile shows how the health of the 270,677 people who inhabit this area in upper Manhattan measures up to the health of New Yorkers in 41 other neighborhoods. Factors used to determine the health of the neighborhood are the general health of the population, maternal and child health, the rate of infectious and chronic diseases, the use of preventative care in doctors’ offices, and access to medical care.
According to the profile, Washington Heights and Inwood residents have a “moderate burden of illness and mortality” when compared to the residents of other neighborhoods; however, a large number of residents in Washington Heights and Inwood do not consider themselves to be in good health. The profile also reports that in a recent survey, in which New Yorkers were asked to rate their own health as “Excellent,” “Very Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor,” 26% of Washington Heights and Inwood residents said their health is “Poor” or “Fair.” This compares with 19% of New Yorkers overall and 14% of people nationwide.
Poor access to medical care is one of the biggest problems affecting the health of Washington Heights and Inwood residents. About 20,000 residents report having no current health care coverage, 34,000 needed care they did not get in the past year, and 68,000 do not have a personal doctor. When compared with other New York City neighborhoods, Washington Heights and Inwood are below average in this area.
Another factor negatively impacting the health of residents in Washington Heights and Inwood is poor living conditions. A quality environment — which includes adequate housing and education, personal safety, resources like quality supermarkets, parks and recreation areas, and services like daycare — is essential in promoting health and preventing illness. The residents of Washington Heights and Inwood are more vulnerable than many other New Yorkers because they are lacking in many of these areas. The percentage of adults over 25 who did not graduate from high school is 44% compared to 28% citywide. The percentage of residents living in poverty is 31% compared to 21% in the city overall. The majority (53%) of residents feel their neighborhood is unsafe compared to 32% in the city as a whole.
The death rate in 2001 was lower by 10% for Washington Heights and Inwood residents than in New York City overall. However, death by accidents and injuries was significantly higher (by 90%) than it was citywide. Heart disease and cancer were the leading causes of death with 459 deaths from heart disease — 30% lower than the citywide death rate from this disease — and 401 deaths from cancer — 10% higher than in other neighborhoods. Compared to other areas in the city, Washington Heights and Inwood had a higher rate of death by kidney disease (by 45%) and from drug-related causes (by 10%). The rate of death by chronic lung disease was lower than the rest of the city by 30%.
While the number of deaths by AIDS has dropped dramatically over the past decade in New York City, HIV and AIDS still remain a significant health problem. In 2001, 237 Washington Heights and Inwood residents were diagnosed with HIV and 2,465 were living with HIV/AIDS. In the same year, there were 37 deaths from AIDS, a rate 35% lower than the citywide rate.
Heart disease was the leading cause of hospitalization in Washington Heights and Inwood, with 2,518 admissions in 2001; however, the rate of admission for this illness was lower by 15% than the rate for the rest of the city. The rate of admission for mental illness was significantly higher by 45% in Washington Heights and Inwood than citywide. For diabetes, it was 15% higher, and for asthma, 10% higher. The number of admissions for alcohol- and drug-related reasons were 582 and 578, respectively, 25% and 45% lower than citywide rates.
The standard of maternal and infant health in Washington Heights and Inwood is comparable to the citywide standard, but neither has met nationwide goals. In 2001, in Washington Heights and Inwood, 33% of women received late (initiated after first trimester) or no prenatal care. In New York City overall, this figure was 30%. Infant mortality rates are lower in Washington Heights and Inwood than they are citywide, 5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births and 6.2 deaths respectively. Across New York City, including Washington Heights, 8% of babies were born with low birth weight (less than 5.5 lbs).
For children, asthma is the leading cause of missed school days and hospitalization. In 2001, there were 284 asthma hospitalizations among children aged 14 and under in Washington Heights and Inwood. This rate is slightly lower than in the city overall: 5 per 1,000 children for Washington Heights and Inwood compared to 6 per 1,000 children citywide.
In Washington Heights and Inwood, 222 children aged 14 and under were hospitalized with injuries including those from falls, burns, and motor-vehicle crashes. This is comparable to children’s injury hospitalizations citywide.
Lead poisoning — which can cause neurological, learning, and behavioral problems, as well as lowered intelligence — remains a problem, although the number of lead-poisoned children in New York City has decreased over the past decade. New York City children are required to have blood lead tests at 1 and 2 years of age. Of the children tested in 2001, 187 were newly diagnosed with lead poisoning in Washington Heights and Inwood — 12 per 1,000 children compared to 15 per 1,000 citywide.
Behaviors and lifestyle choices have a great impact on health. Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and stroke, among other illnesses. In Washington Heights and Inwood, 20% of adults smoke, and in the city overall, 22% of adults smoke. However, most are trying to quit: 77% in Washington Heights and Inwood, and 57% citywide.
Being overweight or obese puts people at risk for many illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, which can lead to heart attack, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations. The risk of diabetes can be reduced by more than half with even modest decreases in weight and increases in exercise. In Washington Heights and Inwood, 30% of adults get no physical activity and 18% are obese. These are comparable to citywide levels. The rate of diabetes is higher in Washington Heights and Inwood (12%) than it is citywide (8%).
Alcohol abuse is another behavior that adversely affects health. Roughly 15% of adults in Washington Heights and Inwood binge drink (defined as consuming 5 or more drinks on one occasion) at least once a month. This rate is comparable to the citywide rate.
Engaging in high-risk activities like using injection drugs, having unprotected anal intercourse, exchanging sex or drugs for money, or having a sexually transmitted disease increases the risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS. In Washington Heights and Inwood, 7% of adults engage in these high-risk activities, compared to 5% citywide.
Preventative services like cancer screening and other clinical services can prevent or reduce the severity of many illnesses. The number of people availing themselves of these services in Washington Heights and Inwood is comparable to that of people citywide. The percentage of women over 40 who received mammograms in the past 2 years was 81% compared to 77% citywide. The percentage of women who received pap smears in the past 3 years was 79% compared to 80% citywide. For people 50 and over, 49% have received colon cancer screening, compared to 50% in the city overall. In the past year, 73% of adults have had a visit to the dentist, compared with 68% citywide. The percentage of people over 65 who have received a flu shot in the past year is 61%, compared to 63% in the city overall.
The complete Community Health Profile for Washington Heights and Inwood is available from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (PDF, 1.9MB).
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