Discussion

Read Next in Sonoma County Summary Measures of Health 2015-2017:
Technical Notes

Identifying populations with shorter life expectancies and higher rates of premature death is an important first step in creating a healthier Sonoma County. The data in this report updates our understanding of life expectancy, the causes of premature death, and the disparities that exist in our community. In general, Sonoma County is a relatively healthy place to live, with similar life expectancy and a lower premature death rate than California. However, not all groups in the county experience the same level of health. Place, race, and sex-based disparities persist within Sonoma County. The communities of Cloverdale and Geyerville and the Russian River area continue to have higher premature death rates than the county overall. Men in the county have shorter life spans and higher rates of premature death than women for many of the leading causes of death. American Indian and Alaska Natives and white, non-Hispanic residents have significantly higher premature death rates than the overall county rate.

While there has been some improvement over the last ten years in premature death rates overall and for many of the leading causes, changes in the last three to five years suggest that much of the progress made is in jeopardy. Overall, premature death rates have increased, as have premature death rates due to suicide and unintentional injury, driven by increases in premature death rates due to drug poisonings (overdoses) and motor vehicle collisions.

Lifestyle and behavioral risk factors, the primary contributors to premature death, are similar for many of the leading causes. Tobacco use, poor diet, and physical activity are major contributors to cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes. Substance use, including alcohol misuse, is a contributor to unintentional injury and chronic liver disease. In addition, the social, economic, and environmental characteristics of the communities in which residents of Sonoma County live, work, play, and learn influence our choices and have an impact on health outcomes.

Describing the risk and protective factors that are contributing to the disparities in life expectancy and premature death rates experienced in Sonoma County is an important next step on the path toward a healthier and more equitable community. Understanding the behavioral risk factors and social determinants of health in the population can further inform place-based strategies –policies, programs, and changes to the environment - to address the factors that produce and reproduce the patterns of poor health. Tools like California Healthy Places Index, https://healthyplacesindex.org, are useful for exploring local factors that predict life expectancy and premature death. In addition, future surveillance efforts, including a comprehensive analysis of behavioral risk and protective factors in Sonoma County, will provide stakeholders with evidence needed to target their resources toward achieving these goals.