Health and Nutrition of Howland, ME Residents

Diet Behavior & Nutrition

Forty eight percent of Howland residents report that their diet is generally healthy. People here have milk to drink or on their cereal 15 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 five 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 two 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 Howland resident last visited a dentist one years ago (including all types of dentists, such as, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and all other dental specialists, as well as dental hygienists). Twenty five percent of people living here 30 years of age and older, are embarrassed because of their teeth, mouth or dentures. Thirty four percent think they might have gum disease (might have swollen gums, receding gums, sore or infected gums or loose teeth). Howland residents rate the overall health of their teeth and gums on average at 41 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 three 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 23 teeth.

Summary

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

Weight

The average height of Howland residents 16 years and older is 65 inches. The average weight is 153 pounds. Their average BMI (Body Mass Index) is 27. Twenty percent of people living here are obese. Twenty one percent have ever been obese. Forty five percent have ever tried to lose weight.

Summary

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

Drug Use

Fifty five percent of Howland residents have ever used marijuana or hashish. Thirty five percent of people living here have ever used cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Thirty five percent have ever used any form of cocaine, such as powder, 'crack', 'free base', and coca paste. Twenty five percent have ever used methamphetamines.

Summary

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

Diabetes

Twenty one percent of people living in Howland have ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they have diabetes. Fifty five percent of people had a blood test for high sugar or diabetes within the past three years.

Summary

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

Kidney Conditions-Urology

Howland 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

Twenty two percent of Howland 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. Sixty three percent of people above the age of 40 have ever had wisdom teeth removed. Twenty three percent have ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull. Twenty three 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 eight percent of people living in Howland are covered by health insurance or some other kind of health care plan.

Summary

Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Twelve percent of people living in Howland have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had hypertension (also called high blood pressure). Eighteen percent of people take their blood pressure at home. Thirty five percent of people in Howland frequently check their blood cholesterol. Thirteen 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

Thirty seven percent of people living in Howland use sunscreen.

Summary

Mental Health

Twenty eight percent of Howland residents 18 years old and older have usually little interest or pleasure in doing things. Thirty three percent often feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Forty two percent of people living here have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep too much. Sixty four percent of people often feel tired or have little energy. Thirty two percent are bothered by poor appetite or overeating. Twenty eight percent often feel badly about themselves, that they are a failure or have let themselves or their families down. Twenty one percent have trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching TV. Twenty two 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

Howland residents on average take one prescription medicines.

Summary

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

Alcohol use

Ninety one percent of people living in Howland have at least one alcoholic drink per month. Seven percent of people living here do not drink alcohol at all. People living here drink alcohol 4.4 days per month on average. They have 5.5 drinks per week. On average people living here have 5 or more drinks on 10 days a year.

Summary

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

Sexual Behavior

Ninety nine percent of Howland residents 18 years and older have ever had vaginal, anal or oral sex. Eighty eight percent of males have ever had vaginal sex with a woman. Eighty eight percent have ever performed oral sex on a woman. Fifty percent have ever had anal sex with a woman. Thirteen percent of males in Howland 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. Ninety four percent have ever performed oral sex on a man. Forty eight percent have ever had anal sex. Twenty seven percent of females have ever had any kind of sex with a woman. People in Howland were 17 years old on average when they had sex for the first time. The average man in his lifetime had any kind of sex with 22 women. He has vaginal sex with 21 women. People living here were on average 20 years old when they first performed oral sex on a woman. In their lifetime they performed oral sex on average on six women. Males in their lifetime have anal or oral sex with 7.5 men on average. They have had 1.3 anal sex partners in their lifetime. People in Howland were 19 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. Fourteen percent of people use protection, like a condom or dental dam, while performing oral sex. The average person in Howland has vaginal or anal sex 75 times a year. Fifty three percent have sex without using a condom. Females in Howland 18 years and older have had any kind of sex with nine men on average. They have had seven male vaginal sex partners in their lifetimes. Women here have on average 0.7 female sex partners in their lifetimes. Hundred 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

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

Summary

Sleep Disorders

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

Summary

Smoking-Cigarette Use

Forty percent of Howland residents currently smoke cigarettes.

Summary

Physical Activity

Twenty two 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 three percent walk or bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places. Twenty one 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 eight 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 seven 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 two 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 1.7 hours per day.

Summary

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

Medical Conditions

Eight percent of people living here has anemia, sometimes called "tired blood" or "low blood". Two percent of people 16 years and older have ever been told by a doctor or other health care professional that they had psoriasis. Twenty five percent are overweight. Seven percent of people living in Howland have ever received a blood transfusion. Twenty nine percent have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Twelve percent of people 20 and older have arthritis. Thirteen percent have ever been told they had gout. Seven percent have congestive heart failure. Six percent have coronary heart disease. Three percent of people had any kind of liver condition.

Summary

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

Reproductive Health

Seventy one percent of births in Howland were vaginal deliveries. Twenty nine percent of deliveries were cesarean. 99.3 percent of deliveries resulted in live births. Fifty three percent of pregnancies resulted in a delivery. Fifty four percent of women breastfeed their children. Forty percent have ever taken birth control pills for any reason. Four percent of women are currently taking birth control pills. Nineteen percent have ever used Depo-Provera or injectable birth control to prevent pregnancy.

Summary

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

Current Health Status

People living in Howland report their general health condition on average at 51 percent. Excluding tests they have had as part of blood donations, 57 percent of Howland residents have ever had their blood tested for the AIDS virus infection. Five percent of people living in Howland are left-handed.

Summary

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

Consumer Behavior

People in Howland spend $384 per month on average on food for their families at supermarkets or grocery stores. This is 19 percent of their income. The average family in Howland spends $162 on food at other stores monthly. This is five percent of their income. They spend $264 on eating out, including cafeterias at work or at school or on vending machines. This is seven percent of their income. They also spend $17 monthly on carried out or delivered food. This is one percent of their income.

Summary

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

Audiometry

People living in Howland report their general condition of hearing on average at 80 percent. Eighty nine 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 nine percent of people can hear a normal voice across a quiet room. Twenty four percent of Howland population have been bothered by ringing, roaring or buzzing in their ears or head. Thirty four 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. Seventeen percent of people in Howland 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

Eleven percent of Howland 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

Fourteen percent are limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of physical, mental or emotional problems. Six percent are limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because they experience periods of confusion.

Summary

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