Volusia County, FL – Volusia County has seen a rise in the number of heart disease-related deaths, according to a recent report from the Florida Department of Health (DOH-Volusia).
The report looked at the death rate, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations related to heart disease from 2011 to 2015 in all the zip codes throughout the County. The DOH-Volusia report finds that the death rate went up 8% and the rate of emergency room visits increased 13% for heart disease-related conditions. The hospitalization rate for heart disease, however, went down 4%.
“Heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in Volusia County,” says DOH-Volusia administrator, Patricia Boswell. “It is a priority for not only the Department of Health but also for our community partners. Heart disease education, prevention, and access to care are priority objectives in the Community Health Improvement Plan.”
According to Boswell, the county’s heart disease death rate is almost equal to the cancer death.
The zip code, 32190 (Seville, FL), had the highest rate of heart disease and the highest rate of death due to heart disease. Zip codes 32102 (Astor, FL) and 32754 (Mims, FL) had zero deaths due to heart disease. The zip code 32124 (Daytona Beach, FL) had the lowest rate of heart disease.
While the county has a higher rate of heart disease related deaths than the state, the county has a lower rate of hospitalization due to heart disease than Florida’s rate.
“Quite often we’re asked why rates are higher in one area or another. There’s not a simple answer. The health of the public is affected by many factors – where you live, access to get care, family health history, education, and income,” says Boswell. “Those are just a few examples of factors that can affect health outcomes. That’s why we take a community approach to addressing health risks.”
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
