Tioga County documents ongoing health concerns in community health assessment

By Jay Bradley —

Tioga County has released its Community Health Assessment for 2025-2030.

The assessment, created in partnership between Tioga County government officials and various nonprofits, was developed from community surveys, interviews, and collaborative planning sessions, in addition to existing public data starting in December 2024.

Described as a “roadmap,” the document is meant to guide the development of future community health improvement plans.

The prior community health assessment was released in January 2023.

“Tioga County excels in areas such as cancer screenings and physical activity, yet we continue to confront pressing concerns, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, mental health, and limited access to specialty care,” said public health director Heather Vroman. “Environmental factors such as flooding, radon exposure, and vector-borne diseases further highlight the importance of resilience and preparedness in protecting community health.”

The report states that some concerning health behaviors are worse in Tioga County than they are statewide, including an 18.8% rate of adult binge drinking in the last month and a 21.5% rate of adults using cigarettes.

Adult obesity in Tioga County is significantly higher at 37.2% compared to the state average of 29.1%, with higher rates of cardiovascular disease at 12.8% versus 7.4% statewide. The report also shows increasing mortality rates for cardiovascular diseases, also greater than the state average.

Tioga County’s childhood obesity rate is 23.3%, higher than the state average of 20.6%.

Tioga County is designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area for both primary and specialty care, with no hospital within its borders, but multiple hospitals are within a 30-minute drive.

The county is also lagging behind recommended vaccinations, with only 64.5% of children aged 24-35 months having completed the 4:3:1:3:3:1:4 vaccine series, and only 19.9% having completed the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series by age 13.

Environmental concerns include an increasing rate of animal bite reports from both domestic and wild animals, and vector-borne diseases from ticks and mosquitoes are rising, with more than double the state’s incidence rate of Lyme disease.

Tioga County also “has some of the highest average radon levels in homes in the entire state,” and an older housing stock that can lead to issues like increased lead exposure.

The leading causes of death in 2020, 2021, and 2022 in Tioga County were heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19.

Lack of access to healthy foods was also noted as a top five issue for respondents, which the report states is especially notable given that 87% of respondents to the county’s “My Health Story” survey reported a chronic health condition, something that is strongly linked to a poor diet.

About 26% of survey respondents said they had experienced domestic violence.

The rate of self-inflicted injury hospitalization among adolescents aged 15-19 has risen to 16.1 per 10,000, surpassing the New York state average and, according to the report, “underscores the urgent need for expanded mental health services, early intervention programs, and community-based support to address the escalating mental health crisis.”

“Residents report mental health concerns and access to quality providers as top health concerns, with data to support an increase in self-reported poor mental health status,” the report states.

However, there were positives. Tioga County is “excelling” in cancer screening rates, with 88.9% of women ages 21-65 receiving cervical cancer screenings, 81.8% of women ages 50-74 receiving breast cancer screenings based on recent guidelines, and 79% of adults ages 50-64 receiving colorectal cancer screenings.

Leisure time physical activity rates were higher among adults (79.3%), adults with disabilities (63.8%), and adults over 65 (76%) than state averages.

Nearly 95% of Tioga County adults have health insurance.

“As we move forward, Tioga County Public Health remains dedicated to fostering partnerships, promoting prevention, and advancing initiatives that support the well-being of every resident,” Vroman said. “Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that Tioga County is a place where all people have the opportunity to live healthy, fulfilling lives.”

The full report can be viewed at ph.tiogacountyny.gov.