Appalachia

the Louisville Courier Journal
CDC director plans house call to Appalachian Kentucky
by Laura Ungar
July 17, 2014

The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon make a house call to Eastern Kentucky.

Dr. Thomas Frieden will visit four spots in the region August 4-6 to discuss Appalachian Kentucky's persistently-high rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other conditions. Frieden was invited by U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers, R-Kentucky 5th district, as part of a "Health Impact Series" under the new Shaping Our Appalachian Region initiative launched by Gov. Steve Beshear.

"While the diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and diabetes are heartbreaking, we know that hope is abundant. We've made great strides in awareness and prevention, but I am eager to hear Dr. Frieden's prescription for Eastern Kentucky and what we can do to help save lives and improve healthy living," Rogers said in a press release. "Dr. Frieden not only plans to share information with us, but wants to hear what medical professionals and health coalition leaders are already doing to change lives. This is our chance to speak directly to an international leader in healthcare about the long-time health disparities in our small corner of the world."

Kentucky consistently has some of the nation's highest rates of chronic disease, with the worst statistics in the Appalachian region. For example, Kentucky tops the nation for cancer deaths, with 204 per 100,000 in the latest period, 2007-2011. But the Kentucky Cancer Registry says the rate in the Appalachian region of Kentucky was 225 per 100,000....

MORE at http://www.courier-journal.com/story/health-bytes/2014/07/17/cdc-soar-hal-rogers-frieden-cancer-heart-disease-appalachia/12777031/