Health Profile of Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Bethel Census Area Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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C
Bethel Census Area Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Alaska
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.0% | 11.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 23.3% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Bethel Census Area is 78.7 years, about 1.1 years shorter than the Alaska average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 12.0%, higher than the Alaska average of 11.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 23.3% of residents, higher than the Alaska average of 15.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
4,135 residents in Bethel Census Area are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 76 30 men · 47 women
- 75–84 323 144 men · 178 women
- 65–74 910 478 men · 431 women
- 50–64 2,826 1,546 men · 1,280 women
Younger residents
6,233 residents in Bethel Census Area are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,680 800 boys · 880 girls
- 7–12 1,811 938 boys · 872 girls
- 3–7 1,554 844 boys · 711 girls
- 0–3 1,189 648 boys · 540 girls
About 244 residents in Bethel Census Area (1.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.7% | 10.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.6% | 5.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.5% | 6.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.6% | 34.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Bethel Census Area is about 27% higher than in Alaska. The rate of heart disease in Bethel Census Area is about 21% higher than in Alaska. The rate of cancer in Bethel Census Area is about 16% lower than in Alaska.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 34.2% | 22.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.7% | 19.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.3% | 23.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Bethel Census Area is about 50% higher than in Alaska. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Bethel Census Area is about 35% higher than in Alaska.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 41,077 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 15.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 451,850 minutes a day and 164.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bethel Census Area is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.99 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | — | — | 6.09 |
Bethel Census Area, AK Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Bethel Census Area, AK is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 18,392 residents against a local median of 2,892. Where Bethel Census Area, AK breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 35% below the local median of 18.4% at 12.0%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 17.6% on uninsured, so Bethel Census Area, AK sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bethel Census Area, AK has the lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Census Area, AK | 18,392 | 78.7 yrs #4/5 | 12.0% #1/5 | 35.6% #2/5 |
| Dillingham Census Area, AK | 4,728 | 83.3 yrs | 15.9% | 38.4% |
| Bristol Bay Borough, AK | 875 | 79.9 yrs | 20.8% | 38.6% |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK | 1,056 | 77.0 yrs | 31.7% | 38.8% |
| Nome Census Area, AK | 9,860 | 82.2 yrs | 14.0% | 33.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bethel Census Area, Alaska has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Alaska, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Bethel Census Area, Alaska.
Is Bethel Census Area, Alaska a healthy place to live?
Bethel Census Area, Alaska has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Bethel Census Area, Alaska one of the healthiest counties in Alaska?
Bethel Census Area ranks 24th healthiest out of 27 counties in Alaska by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
People in Bethel Census Area, Alaska can expect to live 78.7 years on average, 1.1 years shorter than the Alaska average of 79.9.
What percentage of Bethel Census Area, Alaska residents are uninsured?
12.0% of residents in Bethel Census Area, Alaska have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 1.0 points above the Alaska rate of 11.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
35.6% of adults in Bethel Census Area, Alaska are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.3 points above the Alaska rate of 34.3%.
Which health problem stands out most in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
Compared with Alaska as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 34.2%, about 50% higher than the Alaska rate of 22.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Bethel Census Area, Alaska go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 41,077 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 15.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 451,850 minutes a day and 164.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bethel Census Area is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.99 lifetimes a year.
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