Prevalence of Disease

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Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airway system. Nationally, asthma affects more than 15 million people including five million children. This graph shows higher asthma rates in Arizona than the U.S.

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Diabetes is a disease associated with high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production that causes sugar to build up in the body. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the country and can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. People with diabetes can lower the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids.

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Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of nearly 19 million adults. The term arthritis is used to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues which surround the joint, and other connective tissue. The pattern, severity and location of symptoms can vary depending on the specific form of the disease. Typically, rheumatic conditions are characterized by pain and stiffness in and around one or more joints. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. Certain rheumatic conditions can also involve the immune system and various internal organs of the body. (CDC, 2010)

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The prevalence of diabetes and risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increase significatly with age. In addition, older adults may encounter special challenges to managing the disease including social isolation, decreased mobility, financial hardship, and the presence of additional health conditions.

The first-listed (or primary) diagnosis was used to identify the discharges for diabetes (ICD-9-CM code 250).

— Quoted from Diabetes Report on Vital Statistics

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For people over 65 years of age, falls are a leading cause of visits to the emergency room and are commonly interpreted as a sign of declining health. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, risk factors for falls in the elderly population include medication use, cognitive impairment, and sensory deficits. In Maricopa County, discharges of inpatients (age 65+) with fall injuries has increased in the past 2 years.

The external cause of injury codes E880-E886 and E888 (accidental fall) in the first E-code field were used to identify the emergency room visits and discharges of inpatients with fall injuries. The ICD-9-CM codes 820.0 – 820.9 were used to identify the discharges for hip fractures. (Quoted from Fall Injuries Report on Vital Statistics)