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Tri-County Area Sees Higher Rates of Suicide, Obesity and Cancer Than State Average

National Cancer Institute
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Wikimedia Commons

The area’s major health providers are working to assess and address the community’s biggest health needs.

Some of the major needs identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment include active living and eating well; cancer; mental health and substance abuse.

Amy Fox is the administrator of the Tazewell County Health Department. She says many of the Tri-County region’s health needs are interlinked.

“We do know that across the spectrum, whether that be being physically active is connected to mental health, nutrition is connected to cancer, substance use is connected to mental health. We’re not working any of these issues in silos," Fox said. 

The survey shows higher rates of obesity, suicide, substance abuse and cancer than the state average in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford Counties. Fox says the next step is to get together with citizens and organizations to come up with a plan to tackle these issues.

“We want citizens, we want organizations to come together to look at each of these priority areas and say, okay, for the next three years, what are we going to do and how are we going to move the needle?” she said. 

The assessment is open for public review and comment until July 21. Click here to read the full Community Health Needs Assessment or to give your feedback.

Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU.

Tim Shelley is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.