Nashville survey links income with health – Health and Wellness Nashville

The link between income and health has been highlighted in a recently released Nashville survey. In the first countywide health assessment in nearly 20 years, the 2019 Nashville Community Health and Well-being Survey provides an up-to-date picture of the health of the city. In most areas (except Obesity) the Survey shows low income or lack of education leads to greater health problems.

Obesity – This an alarming two-thirds of all adults in Davidson County (63.6%) are considered obese or overweight. Large racial disparities exist: 78% of African American respondents, 73% of Hispanic/Latino respondents compared to 55% of White respondents are classified as overweight or obese.

When it comes to mental health about one-in-five adults (22.1%) indicated having been diagnosed with a depressive disorder, and 15.5% of Nashvillians report currently taking medicine or receiving treatment from a doctor or other health professional for a mental health condition or emotional problem.

Use of Opioids – Those in households earning less than $25,000 a year were 12 times more likely than those making $100,000 or more a year to use opioids not prescribed to them within the past year.

Tobacco Use – The highest prevalence of everyday cigarette smokers (23.6%) is found among those who never graduated from high school and from those whose households earn less than $25,000 annually (15.3%). In comparison, only 1% of Nashvillians with graduate degrees and those with higher household incomes smoke cigarettes every day.

Hypertension – Almost one-third of all Davidson County adults (30.5%) have at some point been diagnosed with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, by a doctor, nurse or other health care professional. But those rates jump even higher for Nashvillians who never graduated high school (39.6%). College-educated Nashvillians saw much lower hypertension rates (17.7%) than the city-wide average.

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