1. Demographic and Health Profile Cameron County 2001
Texas Department of State Health Services
Office of Border Health

2. Cameron County

3. Cameron County
2001
In population, Cameron County ranked 3rd (out of 32 counties) in the Border region and 11th (out of 254 counties) in Texas
There were 344,621 inhabitants in Cameron County, compared to 2,176,117 in the Border region, and 21,325,018 in Texas
15.8% of the Border region population lived in Cameron County
The area in square miles was 906
The number of people per one square mile was 380.5
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

4. Age and Ethnicity 2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

5. Population by Age 2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

6. Population by Ethnicity 2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

7. Socio-Economics
2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

8. * Fertility rates are per 1,000 women ages 15-44
Natality
In 2001, the natality data of Cameron County revealed the following:
There were 8,379 babies born in Cameron County in 2001
The percentage of adolescent mothers (<18) was 6.8% which was similar to that in the Border region (6.8%) but higher than in Texas (5.4%)
The percentage of babies that were born with low birth weight (6.1%) was lower than in the Border region (6.9%) and Texas (7.6%)
The percentage of pregnant women that received late or no prenatal care (30.7%) was higher than in the Border region (28.2%) and in Texas (19.7%)
The fertility rate (108.7) was higher than in the Border region (104.1) and Texas (75.4) *
* Fertility rates are per 1,000 women ages 15-44
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

9. Natality
2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

10. Mortality
In 2001, the mortality data for Cameron County revealed the following:
Cardiovascular Disease accounted for 38.1% of all deaths in Cameron County
The rate of people that died of Cardiovascular Disease (268.3) was lower than in the Border (272.8) and in Texas (344.2)
Cancer accounted for 30% of all deaths in Cameron County
The rate of people that died of Cancer (149.5) was lower than in the Border (159.3) and in Texas (192.7)
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

11. Mortality (continued)
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease accounted for 3.2% of all deaths in Cameron County
The rate of people that died of Lower Chronic Respiratory Diseases (21.8) was lower than in the Border (33.4) and in Texas (46.7)
Diabetes accounted for 5.6% of all deaths in Cameron County
The rate of people that died of Diabetes (38.3) was lower than in the Border (43.6) and in Texas (46.7)
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

12. Causes of Death 2001
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

13. Morbidity 2001 * Rates are per 100,000 population
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

14. Morbidity 2001
Source: TDH, BRFSS 2001

15. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable
Healthy Border 2010 aims to improve health in the United States-Mexico border region, an area defined as 100 kilometers (62 miles) north and south of the United States-Mexico border and close to 2000 miles in length. The Healthy Border 2010 program was established by the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission as its binational agenda of health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Border 2010 agenda establishes 10-year objectives for binational health promotion and disease prevention in the border region. The program also serves as a basis for the development of bilateral, border-wide and community health improvement plans.

16. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable Objectives
Reduce by 25 percent the proportion of persons lacking access to a primary care provider in underserved areas.
2. Reduce the breast cancer death rate for women by 20 percent.
3. Reduce the cervical cancer death rate for women by 30 percent.
4a. Reduce the diabetes death rate by 10 percent.
4b. Reduce diabetes hospital admissions by 25 percent.
Reduce to zero the population residing in counties exceeding EPA air quality standards.

17. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable Objectives
Reduce to zero the proportion of households not connected to either compliant public sewage systems or septic tanks.
7. Reduce by 25 percent the number of persons hospitalized for acute pesticide poisoning.
8. Reduce the incidence of diagnosed HIV infection cases among adolescents and adults by 50 percent.
9a. Reduce the incidence of hepatitis A by 50 percent.
9b. Reduce the incidence of hepatitis B by 50 percent.
10. Reduce the incidence of tuberculosis by 50 percent.

18. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable Objectives
11. Achieve and maintain an immunization coverage rate of 90 percent for children months.
12. Reduce the motor vehicle crash death rate by 25 percent.
13. Reduce the childhood (under 5 years of age) death rate due to unintentional injuries by 30 percent.
14. Reduce the infant mortality rate by 15 percent.
15. Reduce the infant mortality rate due to birth defects by 30 percent.

19. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable Objectives
Increase the proportion of women receiving prenatal care in the first trimester to 85 percent.
Reduce the pregnancy rate among 15 to 17 year old women by 33 percent.
Reduce the suicide death rate by 15 percent.
Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese by 15 percent.
Increase to at least 75 percent the proportion of the population served by community water systems with optimally fluoridated water.

20. Healthy Border / Frontera Saludable Objectives
Increase to at least 75 percent the proportion of children and adults who use the oral health care system each year.
22. Reduce the asthma hospitalization rate by 40 percent.
23. Reduce the rate of alcohol-related motor vehicle crash deaths by 50 percent.
24. Increase to 89 percent the proportions of adolescents not using alcohol or any illicit drug during the past 30 days.
25. Reduce by 33 percent the proportion of adults and adolescents currently using tobacco.

21. Access to Care
Reduce by 25 percent the proportion of persons lacking access to a primary care provider in underserved areas.
  Access to quality health care is essential to improving the health of Texas-Mexico border residents. Access to care is required for individuals to obtain preventive health services such as immunizations, regular Pap tests, or early prenatal care. Effective primary care can also educate people about modifiable risk factors such as smoking. Residents with chronic diseases require health care access for effective management of conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

22. Access to Care
In 2001, “Access to Care” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
41% did not have health care coverage which was higher than in Texas at 23% *
28% of the population was unable to see a doctor due to cost which was higher than in Texas at 15% *
There was a significant difference among men and women as 37% of the women and 18% of the men could not see a doctor due to cost *
30.7% of the population is eligible for Medicaid, compared to 12.6% of the Texas population **
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

23. Ratio of Population to Health Professional
Access to Care
2001
Ratio of Population to Health Professional
Cameron County
Border
Texas
Physicians
838:1
851:1
661:1
Registered Nurses
225:1
244:1
156:1
Dentists
5,841:1
6,535:1
2,820:1
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

24. Access to Care
2001
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

25. Cancer Reduce the breast cancer death rate for women by 20 percent.
Reduce the cervical cancer death rate for women by 30 percent.

26. Cancer
Several types of cancer can be prevented by changes in behaviors or dietary habits. As many as 50 percent of all cancers could be prevented by:
Smoking cessation
Eating more fruits and vegetables
More physical activity
Weight control

27. Cancer
Equally vital in the fight against cancer is screening for early detection and treatment. In the Texas-Mexico border region, both breast cancer and cervical cancer are often diagnosed at later stages of development. Detection can be improved through mammograms and breast self-examinations for breast cancer, and through Pap smears for cervical cancer. Enhancing the access of border residents to routine health care services is a key element in reducing cancer mortality.

28. Cancer
Prevention and early detection of cancer require various types of resources. First is the need to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information on prevention, early detection, and treatment to the public and to health care professionals. Second, the public must have access to preventive and diagnostic services as well as treatment.

29. Cancer
In 2001, “Breast & Cervical Cancer” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
48% of women ages 18 and above had never had a mammogram, compared to 19% of the women the same age in Texas *
49% of women 40 and older did not have a clinical breast exam and a mammogram in the past 2 years which was significantly higher than the 20% in Texas *
The female breast cancer death rate in Cameron County (18.8) was lower than in Texas (24.9) **
In Texas there were 18,846 mammograms performed through the Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program of which 1,922 (10.2%) were performed in Cameron County **
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

30. Diabetes 4a. Reduce the diabetes death rate by 10 percent.
4b. Reduce diabetes hospital admissions by 25
percent.
The growing prevalence of diabetes is a result of a number of trends, including improper nutrition, obesity, and the aging of population groups with a predisposition to develop diabetes. Despite the growing number of diabetes cases identified annually, it is believed that a large proportion of persons with diabetes remains undiagnosed.

31. Diabetes
Improving nutrition and increasing physical activity (thereby reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity) has been shown to reduce the number of persons who develop Type 2 diabetes.

32. Diabetes
In 2001, “Diabetes” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
25% were told that they had high blood pressure, which was similar to the 24% in Texas *
30% were told that they had high cholesterol, which was the same percentage (30%) in Texas *
13% were told that they had diabetes, which was almost double the 6% in Texas *
The diabetes mortality rate for Cameron County (38.3) was higher than in Texas (31.9) *
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

33. Environmental Health
Reduce to zero the population residing in counties exceeding EPA air quality standards.
Reduce to zero the proportion of households not connected to either compliant public sewage systems or septic tanks.
Reduce by 25 percent the number of persons hospitalized for acute pesticide poisoning.

34. Environmental Health
Human exposures to hazardous agents in the air, water, soil and food, and physical hazards in the environment are major contributions to illness, disability and death worldwide. Pollutants and contaminants that arise on one side of the border can easily affect the air, water, and soil of the other side, as well as affect the health of persons living along the opposite border.
In 2001, no air quality data was available for Cameron County.

35. HIV / AIDS
Reduce the incidence of diagnosed HIV infection cases among adolescents and adults by 50 percent.
HIV/AIDS is no longer restricted to specific population groups: HIV infection and AIDS have been reported in almost every age and socio-economic group, and in all large cities in the Texas-Mexico border. As with all other communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS transmission is not restrained by political boundaries.

36. HIV / AIDS
HIV prevention requires a broad range of medical and counseling services, accompanied by information, education and other activities. Many strategies have been developed to reduce the spread of HIV infection, including the promotion of safer sex practices and the reduction of needle sharing. In addition, HIV counseling, education and information should be appropriate for local cultures and languages.
An important issue, however, is access to care, as knowledge of HIV status is a key part of halting the transmission of HIV. On of the major barriers to care is the lack of HIV trained providers on both sides of the border.

37. HIV / AIDS
In 2001, “HIV/AIDS” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
The HIV rate for Cameron County (11.3) was higher than in the Border (10.8) but lower than in Texas (14.3) *
The AIDS rate for Cameron County (11.3) was slightly higher than in the Border (11.1) but lower than in Texas (14.0) *
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population
Source: TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

38. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases
9a. Reduce the incidence of Hepatitis A by 50 percent.
9b. Reduce the incidence of Hepatitis B by 50 percent.
Reduce the incidence of Tuberculosis by 50 percent.
Achieve and maintain an immunization coverage rate of 90 percent for children months.

39. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases
Increased vaccination coverage has produced dramatic declines in the incidence of some infectious diseases. For example, measles and mumps cases have decreased significantly in the past decade. The strategy is to detect, control and prevent infectious diseases, and then to maximize the vaccination coverage rate in the “at-risk” population.

40. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases
For diseases that are not preventable or only partially preventable by vaccine, a different approach is required. Reducing tuberculosis rates requires active surveillance, including testing of “at-risk” populations, providing curative therapy to tuberculosis patients, ensuring that therapy is completed and investigating close contacts of tuberculosis patients. Lack of access to care can delay the detection of tuberculosis cases, and limit direct observation of therapy by health care providers.

41. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases
In 2001, “Immunizations and Infectious Diseases” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
59% of people 65 and older in both Cameron County and Texas did not get a flu shot during the past 12 months *
57% of people aged 65 and older had never had a pneumonia vaccine, compared to 44% for the same age group in Texas *
The Hepatitis A rate (7.5) was double the rate in the Border (3.7) and 40% higher than in Texas (5.4) **
The Hepatitis B rate (2.6) was higher than in the Border (1.5) but lower than in Texas (3.3) **
The Tuberculosis rate (16.0) was higher than in the Border (12.7) and more than double than in Texas (7.7) **
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

42. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases

43. Injury and Violence Prevention
Reduce the motor vehicle crash death rate by 25 percent.
Reduce the childhood (under 5 years of age) death rate due to unintentional injuries by 30 percent.

44. Injury and Violence Prevention
The risk of death due to a motor vehicle crash is greatest among adolescents and young adults (15 to 24 years of age) and the elderly population (75 or more years of age). Motor vehicle deaths can be prevented by increasing the use of automobile seat belts, reducing the consumption of alcohol by automobile drivers, enhancing the enforcement of traffic laws (particularly maximum speed limits), and improving the quality of roads, lighting and other safety enhancements.

45. Injury and Violence Prevention
Unintentional injuries are an important cause of death among young children, but particularly so for those 1 to 4 years of age. Important causes of injury deaths include motor vehicle crashes, drowning, poisonings, and fires. Important preventive measures would be restricting unsupervised access to swimming pools or other bodies of water, and improved safeguards against access to household toxic substances by young children.

46. Injury and Violence Prevention
In 2001, “Unintentional Death” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
12% of the people (age 18 and over) did not always use a seat belt when they drove or rode in a car *
The motor vehicle crash death rate in Cameron County (15.1) was lower than in Texas (18.7) **
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

47. Maternal, Infant and Child Health
Reduce the infant mortality rate by 15 percent.
Reduce the infant mortality rate due to birth defects by 30 percent.
Increase the proportion of women receiving prenatal care in the first trimester to 85 percent.
Reduce the pregnancy rate among 15 to 17 year old women by 33 percent.

48. Maternal, Infant and Child Health
Screening of pregnant women and young children is essential to prevent or mitigate many serious health problems. Screenings, as part of prenatal care, can identify many important maternal health conditions or risk factors for poor infant outcome, including pregnancy-related hypertension and diabetes, cigarette smoking and others.

49. Maternal, Infant and Child Health
The use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances during pregnancies is associated with many developmental problems in infancy and childhood, partly as the result of very low birth weight and premature delivery. The use of alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, a leading cause of mental retardation.
Most neural tube defects are preventable, but the intervention requires nutritional supplements prior to conception.

50. Maternal, Infant and Child Health
In 2001, “Maternal, Infant, and Child Health” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
70% of childbearing aged women (18-44) did not take supplements containing folic acid, compared to 46% of the women the same age in Texas *
The infant mortality rate in Cameron County (4.8) was lower than in Texas (6.0) **
69.3% of pregnant women in Cameron County received prenatal care during the first trimester which was lower than the 80.3% in Texas **
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

51. Mental Health Reduce the suicide death rate by 15 percent.
Mental disorders are health conditions characterized by altered thinking, mood, or behavior that are associated with distress or impaired functioning. These conditions can lead to a variety of problems including disability, pain, or death. The prevalence of mental illness in the border population is unknown, but annually, about 22 percent of the U.S. population is affected by a mental disorder.

52. Mental Health
Of the principal mental disorders, major depression is thought to be one of the most important. Suicide, a major public health problem, occurs most frequently as a consequence of a mental disorder, usually due to major depression and bipolar disorder (manic-depression).

53. Mental Health
In 2001, “Mental Health” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
28% of the people in Cameron County reported having 2 or more days of poor mental health 30 days prior to the survey
There was a difference between men (25%) and women (31%) *
The rate of death by suicide in Cameron County (6.4) was lower than in Texas (10.8) **
Note: Rates are per 100,000 population and adjusted for age
Source: * TDH, BRFSS and ** TDH, Selected Fact Sheets

54. Nutrition and Overweight
Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese by 15 percent.

55. Nutrition and Overweight
In June 1998, the federal government announced guidelines which created a new definition of a healthy weight – a BMI of 24 or less. Thus, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is now considered overweight. Individuals who fall into the BMI range of 25 to 34.9, and have a waist size of over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, are considered to be at especially high risk for health problems.
* BMI is calculated as weight in pounds divided by the square of the height in inches and the resulting number then multiplied by For example: a woman that is 5’5” and weighs 125 pounds would be considered normal in weight because her BMI would be If she weighed 150 pounds she would be considered overweight because her BMI would then be 25; and, if she weighed 180 pounds, she would be considered obese because her BMI would then be 30.

56. Nutrition and Overweight
In 2001, “Nutrition and Overweight” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
31% of the people in Cameron County reported engaging in more than 20 minutes of physical activity most days of the week, which was better than the 21% for Texas
40% of males and 23% of females exercised more than 20 minutes per day
Only 7% of people in Cameron County reported eating 5 or more servings of fruits and/or vegetables each day, which was much lower than the 23% in Texas
Source: TDH, BRFSS 2001

57. Oral Health
Increase to at least 75 percent the proportion of the population served by community water systems with optimally fluoridated water.
Increase to at least 75 percent the proportion of children and adults who use the oral health care system each year.

58. Oral Health
Oral health is an essential component of health. Essential dental services include:
Treatment of dental cavities
Preventive services such as dental sealants
Dental restorative treatments such as replacement of temporary teeth
Screening and diagnosis of oral and pharyngeal cancers
Identification and referral for treatment of oral birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate

59. Oral Health
The level of dental caries in children has declined in recent decades, due to the increased use of toothpaste containing fluoride as well as community water fluoridation. Dental caries remain a significant problem for certain subgroups of the population, in particular for low-income groups.
A continued focus on oral health by governmental agencies and professional organizations will help to improve oral health. Increasing the number of dental personnel and community-based treatment programs will provide affordable access to dental care for the underserved population.

60. Oral Health
 In 2001, “Oral Health” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
80% of the people reported brushing their teeth 2 or more times a day *
72% of the men and 87% of the women reported brushing their teeth 2 or more times a day *
30% reported using dental floss to clean between teeth at least once per day *
22% of the men and 37% of the women reported using dental floss at least once per day *
Source: TDH, BRFSS 2001

61. Respiratory Disease
Reduce the asthma hospitalization rate by 40 percent.
Increases in asthmatic symptoms have been associated with a variety of pollutants. Illness and disability from asthma are related to air pollutants (e.g., ozone and particulate matter), allergens, and exposure to some pesticides.
For 2001, no data on asthma was available for Cameron County.

62. Substance Abuse
Reduce the rate of alcohol-related motor vehicle crash deaths by 50 percent.
Increase to 89 percent the proportion of adolescents not using alcohol or any illicit drug during the past 30 days.

63. Substance Abuse
In 2001, “Substance Abuse” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
13% reported having 5 or more drinks in the past 30 days, compared to 18% in Texas
25% of the men and 3% of the women reported drinking at least 5 alcoholic beverages in the last 30 days
8% reported having 60 or more drinks in the past 30 days, which was the same percentage in Texas
16% of the men and 1% of the women had at least 60 alcoholic beverages in the past 30 days
1% reported driving after “perhaps” too much to drink in the past 30 days, compared to 4% in Texas
Source: TDH, BRFSS 2001

64. Tobacco Use
Reduce by 33 percent the proportion of adults and adolescents currently using tobacco.

65. Tobacco Use
In 2001, “Tobacco Use” data for Cameron County revealed the following:
44% of the men and 27% of the women reported having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime
52% reported smoking every day or some days, which was much higher than the 22% in Texas
56% of the men and 47% of the women reported smoking every day or some days
9% of the men and none of the women reported using chew and/or snuff tobacco
Source: TDH, BRFSS 2001

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