STATE OF LINCOLNTONIANS HEALTH: MIXED

By Jon Mayhew (LINCOLNTON) -- While more Lincoln County residents received a high school diploma in 2008, the income had a slower growth rate in Lincoln than in other parts of the state and more county residents were hitting the bottle and lighting up more.

These tidbits and more are what commissioners learned from the Lincoln County Health Department's Kelly Bragg, as she presented the State Of The County Health (SOTCH) Report Monday night.

Bragg also said that in this bad economy, foreclosure and unemployment are up. As of December, year to date foreclosures were 422, representing a 12 percent increase since 2007.

Bragg's report indicated the unemployment rate hit a five year high for the first time in July 2008. Since, the number has reached double digits.

However, the number of uninsured residents is down to 17.1 percent, which is lower than the state average since 2002.

"Also in 2007, the percentage of people in Lincoln living below the poverty level was 9 percent," said Bragg. "That's compared to 14.3 percent for the state. In 2007, the poverty threshold was considered at $20,650 for a family of four."

Bragg said she didn't have to go far to see the effect a poor economy, coupled with unemployment, had on Lincoln County.

"The Lincoln County Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program served more than 23,200 clients from July 2007 to July 2008," said Bragg. "This is double the amount seen in the previous year."

Besides economic factors, the report talks about Lincoln County residents lack of exercise, nutrition and drinking.

Only 41.8 percent of those surveyed in Lincoln County get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day five or more days a week or 20 or more minutes a day, three days a week of vigorous activity.

More than 17 percent of county residents, meantime, reported not having any physical activity. Meantime, more than 77 percent of Lincoln County residents aren't getting at least five servings of fruits.

So what about binge drinking or having five or more drinks in a sitting?

We're on par with the state. According to Bragg, between 2004 and 2006, the percentage of binge drinkers across the county rose from 9 percent to 11.8 percent. The trend matches the state, which went from 8.4 percent to 11.2 percent.

"Keep in mind, we here in Lincoln County aren't living in a bubble of debauchery," said Bragg. "We're right along with state and national trends."