Health and Nutrition of Deering, AK Residents

Diet Behavior & Nutrition

Forty five percent of Deering residents report that their diet is generally healthy. People here have milk to drink or on their cereal 16 times per month. This includes chocolate and other flavored milks, as well as hot cocoa made with milk, and does not count small amounts of milk added to coffee or tea. People living here eat an average of three meals (breakfasts, lunches or dinners) per week that were prepared away from home in places such as restaurants, fast food places, food stands, grocery stores or from vending machines. They get one of these meals from a fast-food or pizza place. People here eat two "ready to eat" foods such as salads, soups, chicken, sandwiches and cooked vegetables per month. They also eat three frozen meals or frozen pizzas on average monthly.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Oral Health

The average Deering resident last visited a dentist two years ago (including all types of dentists, such as, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and all other dental specialists, as well as dental hygienists). Twenty five percent of people living here 30 years of age and older, are embarrassed because of their teeth, mouth or dentures. Fifteen percent think they might have gum disease (might have swollen gums, receding gums, sore or infected gums or loose teeth). Deering residents rate the overall health of their teeth and gums on average at 44 percent. People living here aged 30 years and older, aside from brushing their teeth with toothbrush, use dental floss or any other device that clean between teeth on average three days per week. They also use mouthwash or other dental rinse products to treat dental disease or dental problems an average of three days per week. The average person living here (including children) has 24 teeth.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Weight

The average height of Deering residents 16 years and older is 66 inches. The average weight is 176 pounds. Their average BMI (Body Mass Index) is 30. Forty five percent of people living here are obese. Fifty two percent have ever been obese. Thirty nine percent have ever tried to lose weight.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Drug Use

Seventy percent of Deering residents have ever used marijuana or hashish. Thirty two percent of people living here have ever used cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Thirty one percent have ever used any form of cocaine, such as powder, 'crack', 'free base', and coca paste. Twenty one percent have ever used methamphetamines.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Diabetes

Seventeen percent of people living in Deering have ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they have diabetes. Forty five percent of people had a blood test for high sugar or diabetes within the past three years. Two percent of city residents are currently taking insulin.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Kidney Conditions-Urology

Deering residents 20 years and older on average get up to urinate one time at night (from time they go to bed at night until the time they get up in the morning).

Summary

Taste & Smell

Nine percent of Deering residents above the age of 40 have problems with their ability to smell, such as not being able to smell things or things not smelling the way they are supposed to. Three percent have been having problems with their ability to taste sweet, sour, salty or bitter foods and drinks. Fifty one percent of people above the age of 40 have ever had wisdom teeth removed. Eleven percent have ever had their tonsils removed. Nine percent have lost consciousness because of a head injury. Thirteen percent have ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull. Thirty eight percent have had two or more sinus infections.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Health Insurance

Seventy two percent of people living in Deering are covered by health insurance or some other kind of health care plan.

Summary

Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Thirteen percent of people living in Deering have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had hypertension (also called high blood pressure). Twenty six percent of people take their blood pressure at home. Forty percent of people in Deering frequently check their blood cholesterol. Twenty percent of people have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that their blood cholesterol level was high.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Dermatology

Twenty five percent of people living in Deering use sunscreen.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Mental Health

Twenty five percent of Deering residents 18 years old and older have usually little interest or pleasure in doing things. Thirty percent often feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Thirty five percent of people living here have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep too much. Fifty eight percent of people often feel tired or have little energy. Thirty two percent are bothered by poor appetite or overeating. Nineteen percent often feel badly about themselves, that they are a failure or have let themselves or their families down. Twenty percent have trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching TV. Twenty five percent of people living here move or speak so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite - being so fidgety or restless that they have been moving around a lot more than usual.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Prescription Medications

Deering residents on average take one prescription medicines.

Summary

Alcohol use

Eighty two percent of people living in Deering have at least one alcoholic drink per month. Thirteen percent of people living here do not drink alcohol at all. People living here drink alcohol 3.9 days per month on average. They have 8.6 drinks per week. On average people living here have 5 or more drinks on 26 days a year.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Sexual Behavior

Ninety nine percent of Deering residents 18 years and older have ever had vaginal, anal or oral sex. Ninety eight percent of males have ever had vaginal sex with a woman. Eighty five percent have ever performed oral sex on a woman. Fifty two percent have ever had anal sex with a woman. Three percent of males in Deering have ever had any kind of sex with a man, including oral or anal. Ninety nine percent of females have ever had vaginal sex with a man. Ninety one percent have ever performed oral sex on a man. Twenty seven percent have ever had anal sex. Twelve percent of females have ever had any kind of sex with a woman. People in Deering were 16 years old on average when they had sex for the first time. The average man in his lifetime had any kind of sex with 33 women. He has vaginal sex with 24 women. People living here were on average 21 years old when they first performed oral sex on a woman. In their lifetime they performed oral sex on average on five women. People in Deering were 19 years old on average when they first performed oral sex on a man. They performed oral sex on average on two men in their lifetime. Twenty one percent of people use protection, like a condom or dental dam, while performing oral sex. The average person in Deering has vaginal or anal sex 59 times a year. Thirty nine percent have sex without using a condom. Females in Deering 18 years and older have had any kind of sex with seven men on average. They have had five male vaginal sex partners in their lifetimes. Seventy three percent of men 18 years old and older are circumcised.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Pesticide Use

Thirteen percent of households in Deering use chemical products in their homes to control fleas, roaches, ants, termites or other insects. Three percent use chemical products in their lawns or gardens to kill weeds.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Sleep Disorders

Deering residents 16 years and older usually get seven hours of sleep at night on weekdays or workdays. Twenty seven percent of them have trouble sleeping.

Summary

Smoking-Cigarette Use

Forty seven percent of Deering residents currently smoke cigarettes.

Summary

Physical Activity

Seventeen percent of Deering residents' work involve vigorous-intensity activity that causes large increases in breathing or heart rate, like carrying or lifting heavy loads, digging or construction work for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty five percent of people do moderate-intensity activities at work that cause small increases in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking or carrying light loads for at least 10 minutes continuously. Forty percent walk or bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places. Twenty two percent do any vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause large increases in breathing or heart rate like running or basketball for at least 10 minutes continuously. Fifty six percent do any moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause a small increase in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking, bicycling, swimming or golf for at least 10 minutes continuously. People living here spend six hours sitting on a typical day (this includes sitting at work, at home, getting to and from places, or with friends, including time spent sitting at a desk, traveling in a car or bus, reading, playing cards, watching television or using a computer). They usually sit and watch TV or videos for about two hours per day. They use a computer or play computer games (including Playstation, Nintendo DS, or other portable video games) outside of work or school for 1.5 hours per day.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Medical Conditions

Nine percent of Deering residents have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Two percent of people living here has anemia, sometimes called "tired blood" or "low blood". Thirty five percent are overweight. Thirteen percent of people 60 years and older have difficulties in thinking or remembering that can make a big difference in everyday activities (this does not refer to occasionally forgetting your keys or the name of someone you recently met). This refers to things like confusion or memory loss that are happening more often or getting worse. Seven percent of people living in Deering have ever received a blood transfusion. Twenty five percent have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Seventeen percent of people 20 and older have arthritis. Three percent have congestive heart failure. Five percent have coronary heart disease. One percent have angina, also called angina pectoris. Four percent have ever had a heart attack, also called myocardial infarction. Three percent have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had a stroke. One percent have ever had emphysema. Three percent have another thyroid problem. Two percent have ever had chronic bronchitis. Two percent of people had any kind of liver condition.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Reproductive Health

Sixty nine percent of births in Deering were vaginal deliveries. Thirty one percent of deliveries were cesarean. 100.0 percent of deliveries resulted in live births. Fifty three percent of pregnancies resulted in a delivery. Seventy two percent of women breastfeed their children. Six percent of women in Deering have ever had a hysterectomy, including a partial hysterectomy (that is, surgery to remove their uterus or womb). Sixty three percent have ever taken birth control pills for any reason. Twenty eight percent have ever used Depo-Provera or injectable birth control to prevent pregnancy. Nine percent have ever used female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, including any forms of female hormones, such as pills, cream, patch and injections, but do not include birth control methods or use for infertility.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Current Health Status

People living in Deering report their general health condition on average at 56 percent. Five percent of them donate blood. Excluding tests they have had as part of blood donations, 35 percent of Deering residents have ever had their blood tested for the AIDS virus infection. Three percent of people living in Deering are left-handed.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Consumer Behavior

People in Deering spend $394 per month on average on food for their families at supermarkets or grocery stores. This is 24 percent of their income. The average family in Deering spends $113 on food at other stores monthly. This is five percent of their income. They spend $100 on eating out, including cafeterias at work or at school or on vending machines. This is seven percent of their income. They also spend $62 monthly on carried out or delivered food. This is one percent of their income.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Audiometry

People living in Deering report their general condition of hearing on average at 80 percent. Eighty eight percent of them can usually hear and understand, without the use of a hearing aid or any other listening devices, what a person says without seeing his or her face if that person whispers to them from across a quiet room. Ninety eight percent of people can hear a normal voice across a quiet room. Twenty two percent of Deering population have been bothered by ringing, roaring or buzzing in their ears or head. Forty nine percent of people living here have ever had a job where they were exposed to loud sounds or noise. Loud means so loud that they must speak in a raised voice to be heard. Fourteen percent of people in Deering had off-work exposure to loud noise.

Summary

Preventive Aspirin Use

Twenty nine percent of Deering residents 40 and older take a low-dose aspirin each day to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Physical Functioning

Fourteen percent of Deering residents 20 or older have limitations caused by a long-term physical, mental or emotional problems or illnesses keeping them from working at a job or business. Eighteen percent are limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of physical, mental or emotional problems. Seven percent have difficulty walking without using any special equipment. Nine percent are limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because they experience periods of confusion. Five percent of people here have health problems that require them to use special equipment, such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed or special telephone.

Summary