FRANKFORT, Ky. – More Kentuckians are living with multiple chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and asthma, according to a nationwide report that looks at key markers of health. Research indicates chronic diseases can put people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Dr. Rhonda Randall, UnitedHealthcare’s executive vice president and chief medical officer, said diseases that require long-term medical attention also are linked to shorter life expectancy.
“Years lost before the age of 75,” she said, “and Kentucky is ranked 47th in the nation for the premature death rate.”
Nationwide, the report found, overall rates of heart disease dropped by 7% between 2018 and 2019, although it still affects more than 21 million adults. Randall pointed out that, in the Commonwealth and elsewhere, the increased economic instability, food insecurity and drop in preventive care – all driven by the COVID-19 crisis – could trigger a spike in rates of chronic disease.
Randall expects most of the public-health measures in the report will be affected by the pandemic, especially mortality rates and mental health. The report found Kentucky’s suicide rate has outpaced the national average.
“That suicide rate increased 32% between 2009 and 2018; that compares to 23% nationally,” she said. “So, we saw that suicide rate rise nationally over the same time period.”
She noted that even before the pandemic, “frequent mental distress” jumped by 11% nationwide among adults ages 18 to 44. The report also found the number of mental-health providers has increased in each state to meet growing demand.
Randall said the pandemic could lead to some unexpected bright spots, including the possibility of greater access to telehealth services.
“One of the things that we measure in this report is access to high-speed internet,” she said, “and although that was already going in the right direction before the pandemic, we expect to see that really accelerated during the course of 2020.”
The report found the number of Kentucky households with high-speed internet access increased by 13% between 2015 and 2018, with broadband now reaching more than 85% of the state.