Deaths caused by kidney disease, drug/alcohol abuse, cancer and heart disease were up last year in Ross County.
Health statistics can be valuable, if they lead us to better choices about how we live our lives.
That according to Rami Yoakum of the Ross County Health District, after last year's vital statistics were officially released at the annual District Meeting. Rami Yoakum says while it sometimes is easy to get lost in "numbers", these stats show us some important trends. One of those is how kidney disease deaths soared from 36 in 2010, to 58 in 2011.
Drug and alcohol deaths also were dramatically higher last year, going from 29 to 41. Deaths for cancer were up from 198 to 216 and heart disease deaths jumped from 272 to 283. Suicides dropped in-half from the year before.
Many of these rising trends have led to more aggressive programs being implemented at places like the local YMCA and even the formation of the Coalition Against Drug Abuse, after data showed an increase in drug and alcohol deaths.
Yoakum talks more about Ross County's vital statistics...
03-19 Rami Yoakum
