BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Modern day medicine has helped people live longer, healthier lives, but local health experts say more can be done to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the Lehigh Valley.
“If I had to give a grade for the health of the Valley, I'd say that we're up into the B range for our current state of health," Dr. Andrew Goodbred, a family physician at a St. Luke’s University Health Network, said.
"With progress certainly from what was probably a C before, and I'd say that we're in the A range for the effort.”
“It doesn't have to be perfect, because perfect can be the enemy of better."Dr. Andrew Goodbred, St. Luke’s University Health Network
Goodbred specializes in lifestyle medicine and sees first-hand how those living in the area are approaching their health.
“There needs to be more of a focus on preventing illness, on creating a situation where our community is in a good state of health, so when something like a pandemic or an illness strikes, you have a larger gas tank, more of a reserve to stay healthy through those things.”
Goodbred said lifestyle medicine, which is evidence-based decision making to prevent disease and treat it in some cases, can be used to extend a person’s life.
“It doesn't have to be perfect, because perfect can be the enemy of better,” he said. “When it comes to living a healthier life it's small, incremental progress over time.”
Improvement through the years
The average life expectancy in the United States in 1900 was just 47 years.
Medical advances such as the first organ transplant in 1954, the Clean Air Act in 1963, and the discovery of the leading cause of death, heart disease, in 1948, all contributed to a longer lifespan.
The average life expectancy in the United States now is 77 years, according to the 2020 Census.
"Our rates of heart disease, our rates of cancer are similar with some exceptions. Even with diabetes, which is a problem really, nationwide, we're comparable to other communities."Moravian University Associate professor of Health Cathy Coyne
Pennsylvania is close behind at 76.8, but the Lehigh Valley outperforms both with a life expectancy of 78.4 years, according to U.S. News and World Report.
The magazine recently published its ranking of the healthiest communities nationwide.
"If you're looking at some of our basic health indicators, in terms of causes of death, we're very similar to what we see in other communities, whether it's in Pennsylvania or nationwide," Moravian University Associate professor of Health Cathy Coyne said.
"Our rates of heart disease, our rates of cancer are similar with some exceptions. Even with diabetes, which is a problem really, nationwide, we're comparable to other communities.
"Although that's been increasing in the Lehigh Valley, which is of concern.”
Ways to improve health
Coyne identified a few areas where people living locally can improve their health.
"We in the Lehigh Valley don't get enough exercise," Coyne said. "So even though our rates are similar to what we see in other communities, it could be improved.
"And then there's barriers to being able to get connected to healthy, nutritious food."Carmen Bell, senior director of healthy aging at the United Way Greater Lehigh Valley
"Twenty-five percent of us aren't doing exercise outside or only 22% of us are doing any kind of non-leisure activities.”
She said certain segments of the population, such as African Americans and Latinos, have higher rates of smoking and lower rates of physical activity, which leads to health concerns.
Carmen Bell, senior director of healthy aging at the United Way Greater Lehigh Valley, said getting healthy resources to those who need them is a problem for the aging population with whom she works daily.
"There's a lack of access to equitable, affordable health care, there are barriers to getting to the doctors and getting to places and being able to afford medicine," Bell said.
"And then there's barriers to being able to get connected to healthy, nutritious food."
'Go to the community hubs'
Identifying where the healthy living shortcomings are is part of working toward a solution — which is what Bell said her agency is doing.
"What we're trying to do through United Way and our age-friendly initiative and our community partners is to start meeting people where they are."Carmen Bell, senior director of healthy aging at the United Way Greater Lehigh Valley
"What we're trying to do through United Way and our age-friendly initiative and our community partners is to start meeting people where they are," she said.
"To go to the senior high-rises and bring resources and information to them there. To go to the community hubs that we've established and bring resources to them there, as well.
"Including partnerships of people like Valley Health Partners to bring medical services right to where the people are already going.”
Those and other programs are in place to help those who live in the Lehigh Valley and the surrounding area get on the path to a healthier lifestyle and hopefully live longer, she said.
The U.S. Census predicts that average life expectancy in the United States will reach 85 years by 2060.
