Health Profile of Desha County, Arkansas
Desha County 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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D
Desha County Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.1 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.7% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 29.7% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Desha County is 75.1 years, about 0.4 years shorter than the Arkansas average of 75.5 years. The uninsured rate is 7.7%, lower than the Arkansas average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 29.7% of residents, higher than the Arkansas average of 22.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
4,085 residents in Desha County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 221 71 men · 150 women
- 75–84 585 253 men · 332 women
- 65–74 1,138 510 men · 628 women
- 50–64 2,141 1,022 men · 1,118 women
Younger residents
2,565 residents in Desha County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 775 410 boys · 365 girls
- 7–12 764 404 boys · 360 girls
- 3–7 598 304 boys · 294 girls
- 0–3 428 202 boys · 227 girls
About 801 residents in Desha County (7.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 18.0% | 13.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.6% | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.4% | 8.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 45.7% | 39.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Desha County is about 32% higher than in Arkansas. The rate of obesity in Desha County is about 17% higher than in Arkansas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 26.6% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 11.8% | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 39.3% | 33.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Desha County is about 19% higher than in Arkansas. The rate of binge drinking in Desha County is about 15% lower than in Arkansas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 21,408 cigarettes a day, 642,247 a month, or 7.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 235,490 minutes a day and 86.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Desha County is 75.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.18 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 | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.67 | 7.47 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Desha County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Desha County, AR Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Desha County, AR is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,741 residents against a local median of 16,514. Desha County, AR's uninsured, at 7.7%, runs 21% below the 9.7% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.1% on uninsured, so Desha County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Desha County, AR has the lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desha County, AR | 10,741 | 75.1 yrs #3/6 | 7.7% #1/6 | 45.7% #5/6 |
| Bolivar County, MS | 29,520 | 74.7 yrs | 11.2% | 44.4% |
| Arkansas County, AR | 16,514 | 74.7 yrs | 9.7% | 38.1% |
| Lincoln County, AR | 12,948 | 76.0 yrs | 8.1% | 38.7% |
| Drew County, AR | 17,048 | 75.6 yrs | 8.3% | 41.5% |
| Chicot County, AR | 9,757 | 74.5 yrs | 10.9% | 47.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Desha County, Arkansas has an overall health index grade of D, making it about on par with Arkansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Desha County, Arkansas.
How healthy is Desha County, Arkansas?
Desha County, Arkansas has a Map AI Health Index grade of D, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a D grade means residents face somewhat worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
Is Desha County, Arkansas one of the healthiest counties in Arkansas?
Desha County ranks 73rd healthiest out of 75 counties in Arkansas by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Desha County, Arkansas?
People in Desha County, Arkansas can expect to live 75.1 years on average, about the same as the Arkansas average of 75.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Desha County, Arkansas?
7.7% of residents in Desha County, Arkansas have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 1.3 points below the Arkansas rate of 9.0%.
How common is obesity in Desha County, Arkansas?
45.7% of adults in Desha County, Arkansas are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 6.7 points above the Arkansas rate of 39.0%.
What is the biggest health concern in Desha County, Arkansas?
Compared with Arkansas as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 18.0%, about 32% higher than the Arkansas rate of 13.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Desha County, Arkansas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 21,408 cigarettes a day, 642,247 a month, or 7.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 235,490 minutes a day and 86.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Desha County is 75.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.18 lifetimes a year.
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