Clinch County at high risk of big virus impact, analysis says

An analysis of counties especially vulnerable to a major COVID-19 outbreak points to a South Georgia county as having the highest risk in the nation. The health index, published by the New York Times, places Clinch County ahead of several other counties in the Southeastern region of the nation as most at risk, based on…

Commentary: African Americans need help amid COVID-19

Health disparities that have long existed for African Americans are once more being demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by the virus, both in Georgia and nationally. In a new GHN Commentary, Dr. Shelby R. Wilkes says “extensive, equitable access to free and quick testing,’’ among other strategies, are needed for…

Protect the most vulnerable from COVID-19 

By Dr. Shelby R. Wilkes With the rising number of cases in the United States and especially in hot spots such as New York City, Chicago and New Orleans, the imperative for access to testing and health care equity for all Americans is critical in the present pandemic of COVID-19.  The rate of infection and mortality…

Here and elsewhere, obesity a major factor in severe COVID-19 illness

Obesity has emerged as a major predictor of severe COVID-19 illness, according to new research. That linkage is demonstrated in Albany, where dozens of patients have died of COVID-19 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Phoebe’s chief medical officer, Dr. Steven Kitchen, said the hospital has not yet gathered precise data on obesity rates of coronavirus…

Physical inactivity: Unhealthy, and all too common in Georgia

Not getting enough exercise? It’s not just you. More than one in four Georgians report that they are physically inactive, among the highest rates in the country, the CDC reports. Physical inactivity for adults is defined as not participating in any leisure-time physical activities over the last month – such as running, walking for exercise,…

Georgia declines in health ranking for women and children

A recent report ranks Georgia 40th among states on the health of women and children, down three spots from its 2018 ranking. The 2019 United Health Foundation report said among Georgia’s challenges are its high percentage of uninsured women, its low rate of prenatal care before the third trimester, and its low percentage of high school…

Forsyth still No. 1 as county health rankings show familiar pattern

Once again, Forsyth County ranks as the healthiest county in Georgia. And the next four healthiest — Oconee, Cherokee, Fayette and Gwinnett — are the same as last year’s, in the newly released  2019 County Health Rankings. All five counties are suburban and in the northern half of the state. They are followed by Columbia,…

State’s obesity rate not the worst, but not good

Georgia’s obesity rate for adults is about average among states, the CDC reports. But it’s still a startlingly high figure. Almost one in three residents in the state is obese. The overall 31.6 percent rate for 2017 in Georgia is slightly higher than the 30.5 percentage in 2014. It’s a rate that has climbed steadily,…

New grants help local organizations in work with rural patients

Healthcare Georgia Foundation has announced grants totaling $770,000 to 11 partnerships in a program aimed at eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity in rural Georgia. The funding represents the first phase of the foundation’s Two Georgias Initiative, designed also to expand access to quality health care in rural Georgia. Each rural partnership will develop…

Hard-to-detect breast cancer may cluster in South Georgia

Inflammatory breast cancer is usually diagnosed at a later stage than other breast cancers – and thus is often fatal. A new Georgia State University study has found that one of the areas with high incidence of inflammatory breast cancer is in South Georgia. The data are from 2004 to 2012, and the researchers plan…