Iowa evaluates 2010 health objectives

Iowa still has the remainder of this year to reach health goals the state set for 2010. But just as with New Year's resolutions, some measures will fall short.

Healthy Iowans 2010 is the name of the plan written one decade ago as a road map for improving the health of Iowans.

Louise Lex, health planner for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said those plans will be evaluated through the remainder of this year, even as the 2020 goals are developed.

“We'll look at where we are, what have we been doing, where to improve and where to put our emphasis,” Lex said.

A 149-page database provides an item-by-item breakdown of all the 2010 goals, from access to quality health care through violent and abusive behavior.

Examples include increasing cancer survival rates, reducing the diabetes death rate and eliminating elevated blood lead levels in Iowa children.

Some goals, such as having all Iowans under age 65 covered by health insurance, aren't likely to be attained.

But Lex said the state has made progress in many areas. Chief among those are goals related to smoking.

One goal was to decrease to 18 percent the proportion of Iowa adults who smoke cigarettes. The prevalence has decreased from 23 percent in 2002, to 20 percent in 2004, 18 percent in 2006 and 14 percent in 2008.

“Policy change does a great deal,” Lex said. “This is a big example.”

She pointed to the Smokefree Air Act, which went into effect in 2008. The act prohibits smoking in nearly all public places in Iowa, including restaurants and bars.

Iowa also implemented a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase in 2007.

Areas where the state could improve include obesity rates, which have risen in the past decade, and activity levels.

About two-thirds of Iowans are either overweight or obese.

“Iowa is not alone in this,”

Lex said, citing obesity levels

that have been climbing nationwide.

She noted that by increasing activity levels - the goal is 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise, five days per week - maintaining healthy weight and not smoking, Iowans could decrease the risk of four major diseases: cancer, heart and lung disease and diabetes.

“Risk factors are certainly something people can do something about to stay healthy,” Lex said.

Already, 600 objectives have been suggested for the 2020 report.