Health and Nutrition of Chalkyitsik, AK Residents

Diet Behavior & Nutrition

Forty eight percent of Chalkyitsik residents report that their diet is generally healthy. People here have milk to drink or on their cereal 18 times per month. This includes chocolate and other flavored milks, as well as hot cocoa made with milk, and does not count small amounts of milk added to coffee or tea. People living here eat an average of three meals (breakfasts, lunches or dinners) per week that were prepared away from home in places such as restaurants, fast food places, food stands, grocery stores or from vending machines. They get one of these meals from a fast-food or pizza place. People here eat two "ready to eat" foods such as salads, soups, chicken, sandwiches and cooked vegetables per month. They also eat four frozen meals or frozen pizzas on average monthly.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Oral Health

The average Chalkyitsik resident last visited a dentist two years ago (including all types of dentists, such as, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and all other dental specialists, as well as dental hygienists). Twenty one percent of people living here 30 years of age and older, are embarrassed because of their teeth, mouth or dentures. Thirteen percent think they might have gum disease (might have swollen gums, receding gums, sore or infected gums or loose teeth). Chalkyitsik residents rate the overall health of their teeth and gums on average at 45 percent. People living here aged 30 years and older, aside from brushing their teeth with toothbrush, use dental floss or any other device that clean between teeth on average two days per week. They also use mouthwash or other dental rinse products to treat dental disease or dental problems an average of three days per week. The average person living here (including children) has 22 teeth.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Weight

The average height of Chalkyitsik residents 16 years and older is 67 inches. The average weight is 180 pounds. Their average BMI (Body Mass Index) is 30. Forty one percent of people living here are obese. Fifty four percent have ever been obese. Thirty five percent have ever tried to lose weight.

Summary

Drug Use

Seventy one percent of Chalkyitsik residents have ever used marijuana or hashish. Thirty four percent of people living here have ever used cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Thirty two percent have ever used any form of cocaine, such as powder, 'crack', 'free base', and coca paste. One percent have ever used heroin. Twenty one percent have ever used methamphetamines.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Diabetes

Fourteen percent of people living in Chalkyitsik have ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they have diabetes. Forty five percent of people had a blood test for high sugar or diabetes within the past three years. Two percent of city residents are currently taking insulin.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Kidney Conditions-Urology

Chalkyitsik residents 20 years and older on average get up to urinate one time at night (from time they go to bed at night until the time they get up in the morning).

Summary

Taste & Smell

Nine percent of Chalkyitsik residents above the age of 40 have problems with their ability to smell, such as not being able to smell things or things not smelling the way they are supposed to. Four percent have been having problems with their ability to taste sweet, sour, salty or bitter foods and drinks. Fifty seven percent of people above the age of 40 have ever had wisdom teeth removed. Sixteen percent have ever had their tonsils removed. Twelve percent have lost consciousness because of a head injury. Twelve percent have ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull. Thirty seven percent have had two or more sinus infections.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Health Insurance

Seventy one percent of people living in Chalkyitsik are covered by health insurance or some other kind of health care plan.

Summary

Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Sixteen percent of people living in Chalkyitsik have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had hypertension (also called high blood pressure). Twenty two percent of people take their blood pressure at home. Thirty seven percent of people in Chalkyitsik frequently check their blood cholesterol. Twenty five percent of people have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that their blood cholesterol level was high.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Dermatology

Twenty one percent of people living in Chalkyitsik use sunscreen.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Mental Health

Twenty seven percent of Chalkyitsik residents 18 years old and older have usually little interest or pleasure in doing things. Thirty two percent often feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Forty five percent of people living here have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep too much. Fifty seven percent of people often feel tired or have little energy. Thirty seven percent are bothered by poor appetite or overeating. Twenty four percent often feel badly about themselves, that they are a failure or have let themselves or their families down. Twenty seven percent have trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching TV. Thirty percent of people living here move or speak so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite - being so fidgety or restless that they have been moving around a lot more than usual. Five percent have thoughts that they would be better off dead or of hurting themselves in some way.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Prescription Medications

Chalkyitsik residents on average take two prescription medicines.

Summary

Alcohol use

Eighty two percent of people living in Chalkyitsik have at least one alcoholic drink per month. Eleven percent of people living here do not drink alcohol at all. People living here drink alcohol 4.2 days per month on average. They have 8.3 drinks per week. On average people living here have 5 or more drinks on 28 days a year.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Sexual Behavior

Ninety nine percent of Chalkyitsik residents 18 years and older have ever had vaginal, anal or oral sex. Ninety six percent of males have ever had vaginal sex with a woman. Seventy eight percent have ever performed oral sex on a woman. Forty one percent have ever had anal sex with a woman. Five percent of males in Chalkyitsik have ever had any kind of sex with a man, including oral or anal. Ninety nine percent of females have ever had vaginal sex with a man. Eighty nine percent have ever performed oral sex on a man. Twenty eight percent have ever had anal sex. Fifteen percent of females have ever had any kind of sex with a woman. People in Chalkyitsik were 16 years old on average when they had sex for the first time. The average man in his lifetime had any kind of sex with 30 women. He has vaginal sex with 20 women. People living here were on average 21 years old when they first performed oral sex on a woman. In their lifetime they performed oral sex on average on four women. Males in their lifetime have anal or oral sex with 0.6 men on average. They have had 0.4 anal sex partners in their lifetime. People in Chalkyitsik were 18 years old on average when they first performed oral sex on a man. They performed oral sex on average on two men in their lifetime. Twenty percent of people use protection, like a condom or dental dam, while performing oral sex. The average person in Chalkyitsik has vaginal or anal sex 65 times a year. Thirty three percent have sex without using a condom. Females in Chalkyitsik 18 years and older have had any kind of sex with nine men on average. They have had six male vaginal sex partners in their lifetimes. Women here have on average 0.3 female sex partners in their lifetimes. Seventy four percent of men 18 years old and older are circumcised.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Pesticide Use

Twelve percent of households in Chalkyitsik use chemical products in their homes to control fleas, roaches, ants, termites or other insects. Six percent use chemical products in their lawns or gardens to kill weeds.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Sleep Disorders

Chalkyitsik residents 16 years and older usually get seven hours of sleep at night on weekdays or workdays. Thirty one percent of them have trouble sleeping.

Summary

Smoking-Cigarette Use

Fifty six percent of Chalkyitsik residents currently smoke cigarettes.

Summary

Physical Activity

Twenty percent of Chalkyitsik residents' work involve vigorous-intensity activity that causes large increases in breathing or heart rate, like carrying or lifting heavy loads, digging or construction work for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty five percent of people do moderate-intensity activities at work that cause small increases in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking or carrying light loads for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty seven percent walk or bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places. Twenty three percent do any vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause large increases in breathing or heart rate like running or basketball for at least 10 minutes continuously. Forty nine percent do any moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause a small increase in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking, bicycling, swimming or golf for at least 10 minutes continuously. People living here spend six hours sitting on a typical day (this includes sitting at work, at home, getting to and from places, or with friends, including time spent sitting at a desk, traveling in a car or bus, reading, playing cards, watching television or using a computer). They usually sit and watch TV or videos for about three hours per day. They use a computer or play computer games (including Playstation, Nintendo DS, or other portable video games) outside of work or school for 1.6 hours per day.

Summary

Medical Conditions

Thirteen percent of Chalkyitsik residents have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Two percent of people living here has anemia, sometimes called "tired blood" or "low blood". Forty percent are overweight. Seventeen percent of people 60 years and older have difficulties in thinking or remembering that can make a big difference in everyday activities (this does not refer to occasionally forgetting your keys or the name of someone you recently met). This refers to things like confusion or memory loss that are happening more often or getting worse. Seven percent of people living in Chalkyitsik have ever received a blood transfusion. Twenty six percent have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Twenty percent of people 20 and older have arthritis. Three percent have ever been told they had gout. Three percent have congestive heart failure. Four percent have coronary heart disease. One percent have angina, also called angina pectoris. Six percent have ever had a heart attack, also called myocardial infarction. Four percent have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had a stroke. Three percent have ever had emphysema. Seven percent have another thyroid problem. Two percent have ever had chronic bronchitis. Seven percent have ever had cancer or a malignancy of any kind.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Reproductive Health

Seventy four percent of births in Chalkyitsik were vaginal deliveries. Twenty six percent of deliveries were cesarean. 100.0 percent of deliveries resulted in live births. Fifty six percent of pregnancies resulted in a delivery. Sixty one percent of women breastfeed their children. Eight percent of women in Chalkyitsik have ever had a hysterectomy, including a partial hysterectomy (that is, surgery to remove their uterus or womb). Six percent had both of their ovaries removed (either when they had their uterus removed or at another time). Sixty one percent have ever taken birth control pills for any reason. Twenty eight percent have ever used Depo-Provera or injectable birth control to prevent pregnancy. Six percent have ever used female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, including any forms of female hormones, such as pills, cream, patch and injections, but do not include birth control methods or use for infertility.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Current Health Status

People living in Chalkyitsik report their general health condition on average at 53 percent. Five percent of them donate blood. Excluding tests they have had as part of blood donations, 35 percent of Chalkyitsik residents have ever had their blood tested for the AIDS virus infection. Five percent of people living in Chalkyitsik are left-handed.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Consumer Behavior

People in Chalkyitsik spend $391 per month on average on food for their families at supermarkets or grocery stores. This is 23 percent of their income. The average family in Chalkyitsik spends $109 on food at other stores monthly. This is five percent of their income. They spend $102 on eating out, including cafeterias at work or at school or on vending machines. This is eight percent of their income. They also spend $57 monthly on carried out or delivered food. This is two percent of their income.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Audiometry

People living in Chalkyitsik report their general condition of hearing on average at 79 percent. Eighty six percent of them can usually hear and understand, without the use of a hearing aid or any other listening devices, what a person says without seeing his or her face if that person whispers to them from across a quiet room. Ninety seven percent of people can hear a normal voice across a quiet room. Twenty six percent of Chalkyitsik population have been bothered by ringing, roaring or buzzing in their ears or head. Fifty six percent of people living here have ever had a job where they were exposed to loud sounds or noise. Loud means so loud that they must speak in a raised voice to be heard. Sixteen percent of people in Chalkyitsik had off-work exposure to loud noise.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Preventive Aspirin Use

Thirty six percent of Chalkyitsik residents 40 and older take a low-dose aspirin each day to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Physical Functioning

Nineteen percent of Chalkyitsik residents 20 or older have limitations caused by a long-term physical, mental or emotional problems or illnesses keeping them from working at a job or business. Twenty three percent are limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of physical, mental or emotional problems. Twelve percent have difficulty walking without using any special equipment. Ten percent are limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because they experience periods of confusion. Ten percent of people here have health problems that require them to use special equipment, such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed or special telephone.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.