Generations Health Care Initiatives

Health Care Access

• 75% of those without health coverage are employed; the greater majority (76%) work nearly fulltime (31+ hrs/wk)
• 82% of the working uninsured have one place of employment
• Over half (54%) of the uninsured workers are employed in small businesses
• 13.7% of those with health insurance are self-employed
• 46% of the jobs in NE MN are businesses with less than 50 employees²

¹ Minnesota Department of Health, Health Economics Program (2006), Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota: Trends from 2001 to 2004.

² Minnesota Department of Economic Development/Info USA

Uninsured in the Twin Ports Region

• 1 in 11 adults (age 18-64) in Northeast MN do not have health insurance ^{1 2}

• 1 in 10 adults (age 18-64) in Douglas County WI do not have health insurance²

¹ Minnesota Department of Health, Health Economics Program (2006), Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota: Trends from 2001 to 2004.  

² Finch, M.D., Vezina, J.M., Kinney, A.M., Peterson, J.M.; Bridge to Health Collaborative (2005). Bridge to Health Survey 2005: Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin Regional Health Status Survey. June 2006 (Available from Generations Health Care Initiatives, Inc., Duluth MN)

Suicide in St. Louis County

• 31.5% of non-fatal hospitalizations for injuries to youth (age 10-19) were self-inflicted¹
• 68% of youth (age 10-19) requiring hospital or emergency treatment for self-inflicted1 injuries were female
• 9th grade girls were at greater risk for attempting suicide than 9th and 12th grad boys or 12th grade girls2
• The percentage of boys attempting suicide increased between the 9th and 12th grades; for girls it decreased
• The most frequent reasons why teens reported foregoing mental health care are: (2001)¹
  • Thought or hoped the problem would go away
  • Didn't want parents to know
  • Didn't know where to do
  • Afraid of what the counselor would say or do

¹ Gilley J, Larson J .A Look at Teen Suicide: How Does St. Louis County Compare? St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services Dept., March 2006,  http://www.co.st-louis.mn.us/slcportal/SiteMap/HomePage/Departments/PublicHealthandHumanServices/tabid/86/Default.aspx

² Minnesota Department of Health, 2004 Minnesota Student Survey

• An estimated 20% of the US population experiences a mental disorder annually¹
• Two of the most prevalent types of mental health conditions are depression and anxiety. In northeastern Minnesota (2005), the adult population (age 18+) reported the following:
  • 11.6% of the adult population reported that they had been diagnosed with depression at some point in their life²
  • 5.8% of the population reported that they had been diagnosed with anxiety at some point in their life²
• Adults in northeastern Minnesota are healthier mentally when compared with the US adult population³

¹ US Dept of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MN: US Dept. of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration, Center for Mental health Services, national Institutes of Health, national Institute of Mental Health, 1999.

² Finch, M.D., Vezina, J.M., Kinney, A.M., Peterson, J.M.; Bridge to Health Collaborative (2005). Bridge to Health Survey 2005: Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin Regional Health Status Survey. June 2006 (Available from Generations Health Care Initiatives, Inc., Duluth MN)

³ Ware JE, Kosinski Dewy JE, Ganek B; How to Score and Interpret Single-Item Health Status Measure: A Manual for Users of the SF-8 Health Survey. Lincoln , RI: QualityMetric Incorporated, 2001.

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