
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 12, 1995                   TAG: 9504120066
SECTION: NATL/ITNL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

OTHER THAN MURDERS, OBESITY, TEEN PREGNANCY, WE'RE HEALTHY

The overall picture of Americans' health is rosier than it was five years ago, but it is marred by high rates of murder and teen pregnancy and too many people who are overweight, according to the U.S. Public Health Service.

The mixed results show a need ``for a number of course corrections'' at the halfway point in the government's 10-year program to improve the nation's health, said Dr. J. Michael McGinnis of the health service Tuesday.

``We have good news, but not good enough,'' McGinnis said.

Launched in 1990, the government program, called Healthy People 2000, set about 300 targets for Americans to attain by the end of the decade through education of physicians as well as the public.

The program's three main goals are to increase Americans' healthy lifespan, reduce disparities in health care availability among different groups and boost everyone's access to disease-prevention services.

The health service issued a report citing surveys showing that, in most areas, Americans are meeting or surpassing the targets, but, in some cases, they show no improvement or are getting worse. In those areas, the nation needs such ``course corrections'' as ``stronger education and incentives'' aimed at altering people's behavior, said McGinnis and Dr. Philip R. Lee of the health service.

McGinnis said that deaths from cancer and heart disease are moving down at a pace that will achieve the targets by 2000. But the rates of homicide, teen pregnancy, obesity and deaths by influenza and pneumonia are up. ``About a third of the population is classified as overweight,'' he added. The health service report noted that 24 percent of Americans never exercise.

The study, to be published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also cited surveys showing that blood cholesterol levels among Americans have gone down, fewer people smoke, and life expectancy is up to 75.8 years. In 1980, it was 73.7 years, and, in 1970, it was 70.8 years.

Also, death rates among infants, children and adults have all gone down significantly, but death rates among teen-agers and young adults have dropped only a little. ``Homicide rates and suicide rates have prevented us from making the progress that we should have made,'' McGinnis said.

The report noted marked disparities between black and white Americans: Life expectancy among African Americans is 69.6 years and among white Americans is 76.5 years. Blacks have higher teen pregnancy, AIDS and homicide rates.

``We're failing in our goal to close the gap between rich and poor, black and white,'' McGinnis said.

Hispanics have higher AIDS, homicide and tuberculosis rates but declining teen-pregnancy rates.

by CNB