Women's health in Georgia, 2006

Women's Health in Georgia, 2006
Demographics: The female population in Georgia has been steadily aging.
In 1910, only 3% of Georgia females were over 64 years of age compared to 11% in 2004.
Leading Causes of Deaths: The leading causes of death among women in Georgia in 2004 were:
Heart disease (30%) Cancer (25%) Stroke (9%) Chronic lower respiratory diseases (6%) Unintentional injuries (5%) Alzheimer's disease (5%) Pneumonia/Influenza (3%) Diabetes (3%)
Health Behaviors: Smoking 18% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 were smokers. This rate is comparable to
the national average among women (19%). Smoking prevalence among adult women in Georgia decreases with increasing
educational level. Only 10% of adult women in Georgia who are college graduates are smokers compared to 26% of adult women with less than high school education. Physical Activity Only 38% of adult women in Georgia in 2003 were regularly active compared to 46% of adult women in the U.S. Fruits and Vegetables Consumption Only 26% of adult women in Georgia in 2003 ate the recommended 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (27%). Binge Drinking 6% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 were binge drinkers compared to 8% of adult women in the U.S.
Cancer Screening: Mammography Three of four (75%) women age 40 or older in Georgia in 2004 have had a
mammogram in the last two years. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (75%). The number of women age 40 or older in Georgia who have had a
mammography screening increased as income increased. Pap test Almost 9 of 10 (88%) of adult women in Georgia in 2004 have had a Pap test in the
last three years. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (86%).
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Colorectal Cancer Screening One of two (53%) adult women age 50 or older in Georgia in 2004 have ever had a
sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (53%).
Chronic Disease: Obesity Almost one in four (24%) adult women in Georgia in 2004 is obese. This rate is
comparable to the national average among women (23%). Black women are more likely to be obese (35%) than women of other race/ethnic
groups. The prevalence of obesity decreases with higher annual household income.
Women with an annual household income of <$15,000 have an obesity prevalence of 34%, while women with an annual household income of $75,000 or more have an obesity prevalence of 10%. Cardiovascular Disease The cardiovascular disease death rate in Georgia in 2003 for Black women is 1.4 times higher than for White women (374 vs. 272 per 100,000 women, respectively). Cancer White women in Georgia are 11% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than Black women (402 vs. 362 per 100,000 women, respectively). Breast cancer accounts for 32% of all new cancer cases among women in Georgia. Diabetes The diabetes death rate in Georgia in 2003 for Black women is 2.4 times higher than for White women (41 vs. 17 per 100,000 women, respectively). 7% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 have diabetes. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (6%). Arthritis 30% of adult women in Georgia in 2003 have arthritis compared to 24% of adult women in the U.S. White adult women in Georgia have the highest prevalence of arthritis (33%). Asthma One in ten (10%) adult women in Georgia in 2004 have asthma. This rate is comparable to the national average among women (10%).
Infectious Diseases: Chlamydia 27,815 cases of Chlamydia were reported among women in Georgia in 2004 - a
4.6% decrease from 29,149 cases reported in 2003. Women represented 81% of reported Chlamydia cases in Georgia in 2004. The Chlamydia case rate for women in Georgia in 2004 was 623 per 100,000
women. Chlamydia infection can result in serious long-term complications for women
including ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy located outside of the uterus), infertility, and pelvic inflammatory disease. However, chlamydia can be easily diagnosed and treated
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AIDS 482 cases of AIDS were reported among women in Georgia in 2003 - a 16%
increase from 416 cases reported in 2002. Women represented 30% of reported AIDS cases in Georgia in 2003. This
compares to 28% nationally. The AIDS cases rate in Georgia in 2003 for Black women is 20 times higher than
for White women (32.3 vs. 1.6 per 100,000 women, respectively).
Tuberculosis (TB) 176 cases of TB were reported among women in Georgia in 2005 a 16% decrease
from 209 cases reported in women in 2004. Women represent 39% of TB cases in Georgia. This rate is comparable to the
U.S. (39%). The TB case rate in Georgia in 2004 for Black women is almost 9 times higher
than for White women (8.7 vs. 1 per 100,000 women, respectively).
Immunization: Influenza Vaccination 62% of women age 65 or older in Georgia in 2004 had an influenza vaccination in
the last year compared to 68% of women age 65 or older in the U.S. Pneumonia Vaccination Six in ten (60%) women age 65 and older in Georgia in 2004 have ever had a
pneumonia vaccination compared to 66% of women age 65 or older in the U.S.
Health Insurance: 15% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 had no health insurance. This rate is
comparable to the national average among women (13%).
Disability: One in five (21%) of adult women in Georgia in 2004 had a disability.
Mental Health: 13% of Georgia women reported having frequent mental distress (14 or more days
of poor mental health) during the past 30 days. Women age 65 and older had the lowest prevalence of frequent mental distress
(8%) compared to younger age groups. Black women were more likely to report frequent mental distress (15%)
compared to white women (12%). Frequent mental distress is more common among women with an income of
<$15,000 (25%), compared to women with an income of $75,000 or more (7%). Women with a college degree report the lowest prevalence of frequent mental
distress (7%), compared to other education groups.
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Injuries: Motor Vehicle Crashes 504 women died from motor vehicle crashes in Georgia in 2004.
White women were 1.5 times more likely to die from motor vehicle crashes than Black women (12.9 vs. 8.6 per 100,000 women, respectively).
Homicide 167 women were homicide victims in Georgia in 2004. Black women were 1.6 times
more likely to die from homicide than White women (3.2 vs. 5.2 per 100,000 women, respectively). Suicide 197 women committed suicide in Georgia in 2004. White women were 3.8 times more likely to commit suicide than Black women (5.7 vs. 1.5 per 100,000 women, respectively) 7% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 have had thoughts of suicide in the last year. Firearms 5% of adult women in Georgia in 2004 lived in a home with a loaded, unlocked firearm.
Reproductive Health Pregnancy Outcomes
136,385 women delivered live-born infants in 2004. 1,255 women had a fetal death in the 5th or later month of pregnancy in 2004.
Black women were 2.3 times more likely to experience a fetal death than White women (15.1 vs. 6.5 per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths) 28,628 women intentionally terminated their pregnancies in 2004. This represents a 25% decrease over the last ten years. Teen Pregnancy 16,016 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 years old delivered live-born infants in 2004. This represents a 25% decrease over the last ten years (53.3 vs.69.7 per 1,000 population in 2004 and 1994, respectively) 314 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years delivered live-born infants in 2004. This represents a 57% decrease over the last ten years (1.0 vs.2.3 per 1,000 population in 2004 and 1994, respectively)
Suggest Citation: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology Branch. Women's Health in Georgia, 2006. May, 2006. Publication Number: DPH06.081W
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