Mental health concerns are continuing to rise after topping the Long Island Community Health Assessment Survey last year.
These new findings are from an updated analysis of community health data that solicits feedback about health perceptions. The data is collected from January through December 2022 using the Community Health Assessment Survey — English version and Spanish version. The survey collects information about Long Islanders’ health concerns for themselves and their communities.
“If you don’t have a sound mind, you can’t have a sound body,” said Janine Logan, director of the Long Island Health Collaborative. “If you don’t have a sound body, you can’t have a sound mind. So I think mental and physical health go hand-in-hand. And those simple lifestyle behaviors can do a lot to advance both of those.”
Residents are also worried about cancer, alcohol, drug abuse, clean air and water.
In Suffolk County, drugs/alcohol abuse and cancer placed second and third of the most concerns among the community. In Nassau County, heart disease/stroke ranked second in last year’s analysis.
Another huge concern for both communities is obesity. The issue is an ongoing risk factor for almost all chronic diseases and has ranked in the top five for the past five years.
Good lifestyle habits, such as proper nutrition and adequate physical activity, help many of these chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and many cancers, which assist many individuals with their issues.
“The best way to manage any chronic disease, or prevent the onset of chronic disease, is to have a proper diet, and physical activity, even if that physical activity is just walking, you can better address a chronic illness,” Logan said.
Hospitals, county health departments and officials, community-based organizations, and other social and health services providers use the data in these analyses and lists, where they offer programs that would meet the local communities’ needs.
Individuals are encouraged to fill out the Long Island Community Health Assessment Survey online, offering a window into the region’s healthcare landscape.
