By Crystal Garrett
The Sun Journal
For those who grew up watching the idyllic world brought to life in black and white by its native son Andy Griffith, it may be shocking to learn that, in terms of child health and welfare, Surry County’s scenes of rolling hills and valleys are just what they appeared to be on the famous TV show — an idealized version of reality.
A recent report on local child health disparities states that children’s life expectancies in Surry County, located northwest of Winston-Salem on the Virginia border, are on par with children growing up in one of the most corrupt countries in the world — Cambodia.\
The analogy is based on indicators ranging from income and insurance coverage to asthma and infant mortality rates compiled and compared by NC Child, a statewide organization that works to advance public policies that improve the lives of children in the state, according to a report issued by the group.
Where children are born in the state makes a big difference in how long they live and the quality of their health, according to the report.
A baby born in Craven County is expected to live 77.8 years, according to the data released.
“Compared to children in Orange County, where life expectancy is the longest in the state, Craven children will live 3.9 fewer years,” the report states.
Orange County is home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Hospitals and the colonial era town of Hillsborough.
Meanwhile, another strong performer, Watauga County — mostly known for the town of Boone and the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains — is on par with Japan, where residents have the longest life expectancy of any major country: an average of 81 years, according to the data cards released.
“Across indicators we see that a distance of fewer than 100 miles can mean the difference between positive or negative outcomes in children’s lives, a fact that cannot be explained by random chance or genetic predisposition,” said Laila A. Bell, director of research and data at NC Child.
Bell was instrumental in analyzing the data on social, economic and health outcomes for the data cards as a supplement to the N.C. Child Health Report Card, recently released in conjunction with the N.C. Institute of Medicine.
“These geographic disparities are a stark reminder of the profound impact the environments where our children live, play and go to school have on their long-term health opportunities,” Bell said.
The following information on Craven, Pamlico and Jones counties was highlighted in the report:
* On average, one in 13 births in Pamlico County is to a woman who received very late or no prenatal care, followed by one in 16 births in Jones County and one in 18 births in Craven.
With regard to economic welfare, all three counties are close in rank, with 27.2 percent of Pamlico children living in poverty, followed by 27 percent in Jones and 26.6 in Craven.
In the report, Bell says these health challenges are avoidable.
“We know that smart public policy decisions can help enhance local efforts to ensure all children … live in homes and communities that promote their health and development.”
Suggestions include: strengthening access to health insurance for women of reproductive age by expanding Medicaid to cover adults below 138 percent of the federal poverty line; supporting infant mortality prevention strategies; and investing in early intervention services to reduce the effects of developmental delays.
Source: Report: Where NC Children Live Can Predict Their Life Expectancy.