In many cases, preventable admissions
rates are comparable for urban and rural counties. However,
rural residents are more likely to experience higher preventable
hospitalization rates for several conditions including:1
- Urinary tract infection
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Angina
- Hypertension
- Diabetes (uncontrolled)
- Perforated appendix
The higher rates in Hawai'i's rural counties are due,
in part, to the lack of access and availability of primary
care resources and a growing elderly population. Hawai'i,
Kaua'i, and Maui Counties have been designated Medically
Under-served Areas or Populations by the federal Health
Resource and Service Administration (HRSA).
While
variations in preventable hospitalization rates exist
across Hawai'i's four counties, Kaua'i County has the
highest rates for many indicators. However, an
area of notable improvement is the decrease in asthma
hospitalizations on Kaua'i in recent years. Kaua'i
County's asthma rates were significantly higher than
the U.S. comparison earlier in this decade, but have
consistently fallen since 2003. The decrease in
hospitalizations can be attributed largely to successful
community based initiatives such as the Hawaii State
Asthma Control Program.2
|
 |
