By Jeremiah Reed
The Transylvania Times
A recent study exploring the life expectancy and quality of life for newborns across all North Carolina counties shows children born in Transylvania County should live to an average age of 80, although health risks such as poverty and food insecurity remain areas of concern.
The study was compiled by NC Child as a supplement to the North Carolina Child Health Report Card, which is an annual report released in partnership with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine that monitors the health and safety of children across the state.
The study paints a stark picture of just how much geography impacts the general health and wellness of North Carolina children. One example of such contrast found that children born in Watauga County live to be an average of 81 years old; whereas children in Swain County – which is just under 150 miles to the west – can only expect to live to the age of 73.
Laila A. Bell serves as the director of research and child data at NC Child. Bell said the study shows just how much one’s environment can influence their health and life expectancy.
“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 simply cannot be explained by random chance or genetic predisposition,” said Bell. “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.”
In terms of life expectancy, Orange County had the highest in the state at an average of 81.7 years. Swain County – 73 years – was the lowest in the state.
The study shows low birth weight to be a strong predictor of child mortality. In Transylvania County, one in 15 children are born at a low birth weight.
Another factor that weighed heavily into the study was the percentage of woman who received little, if any, prenatal care during the course of their pregnancy. In Transylvania County, one in 36 births (2.8 percent) fall into that category.
Economic disparity also continues to be a problem locally. In 2013, 8.8 percent of children in the county were uninsured and 9.4 percent lived below 200 percent of the poverty line. Both of those figures were higher than the state averages.
Overall, more than a quarter (26.2 percent) of Transylvania children live in poverty and an even greater number (28.4 percent) live in food insecure households. The study linked poverty to a higher risk of health challenges such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and developmental delays.
Transylvania County’s percent of preterm births – those born before 37 weeks of pregnancy – was 10.9, which is slightly lower than the state average.
The percent of children born to mothers who smoke (13.3) was higher than the state average.
Comparing Transylvania to neighboring counties – Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Jackson – showed the county is one of the healthiest in the region. Transylvania’s average life expectancy was the highest of those five counties and the number of uninsured children (8.8 percent) was the second lowest behind Buncombe. Transylvania was also second behind Jackson County in the number of children born preterm.
Transylvania lagged behind in other areas, with the county registered the highest percentage (28.4) of children living in food insecure households. None of the five counties performed particularly well in that category, with Henderson County registering the lowest level at 23.7 percent.
One figure that points to a trend seen locally over the past several years showed there were only 285 children born in the county in 2013, the lowest among neighboring counties.
Some of the recommendations included in the study for ways to improve child health included expanding Medicaid coverage to adults below 138 percent of the federal poverty line, supporting interventions to reduce child mortality and investing in early intervention services to reduce the effects of developmental delays.
To see more results from the study and to read the N.C. Child Health Report Card, go to ncchild.org.