Report finds Big Horn County leading in age 65+ chronic disease rates

A recent report that profiled healthy aging indicators for residents 65 and older in Wyoming’s 23 counties concluded that Big Horn County led the state in several chronic disease rates.

The 2023 Wyoming Healthy Aging Data Report was compiled by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with the Wyoming Healthy Aging Coalition and the University of Wyoming. 

The report’s purpose is to help local and state decision makers and agencies understand the older adults who live in their communities—their health status, strengths and vulnerabilities—in order to improve aging in Wyoming.

Roughly 1 in 5 residents in Big Horn County fall in the 65+ population, with 57% between 65 and 74 years old. This “young-old” population makes up the fastest growing age group in the state, according to the healthy aging report and the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information.

State aging trends demonstrate many 65+ residents will soon be in need of services and supports that don’t yet exist or may become exceedingly expensive.

Furthermore, the report highlights obstacles that communities and policymakers will have to overcome, including geographic barriers and socioeconomic disparities, to better meet the needs of a growing elderly population.

“Since more than half of Wyoming’s 65+ population is young and relatively healthy, there are major opportunities to allow residents to help make Wyoming an even better place to grow up and grow older,” the researchers wrote.

The report profiled 130 healthy aging indicators in the 65 and older population to provide a comprehensive picture of health in Big Horn County. Some indicators taken into account included wellness, chronic disease, disability, access to care, community and housing and economic factors.

Big Horn County has the state’s highest rates of arthritis (34%), diabetes (25%) and heart failure (16%). The area also ranked fourth in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (12%) and sixth in hypertension (44%) and chronic kidney disease (17%).

The county also has one of the lowest 65+ median household incomes at $35,663.

Data revealed other trends as well. While Big Horn County’s older population is less likely to be smokers compared to the state average, residents do have a higher rate of self-reported obesity. 

They are also less likely to take certain health promotion steps, such as having a regular doctor or annual dental exam, receiving a flu or shingles vaccine, screening for colorectal cancer or always wearing a seatbelt when driving or riding.

Big Horn County is classified as a “frontier county”—those with fewer than seven residents per square mile. The report pointed out that frontier counties have less access to health care and aging support, including fewer primary providers, fewer nursing homes and less broadband access.

Researchers hope communities and policy makers will use county healthy aging indicators to better determine where goods, services and programs can meet resident needs.

To review the report or healthy aging indicators maps in full, visit www.healthyagingdatareports.org/wyoming-healthy-aging-data-report/

(Editor's note: Some of the state-specific statistics were drawn from a story written by Aedan Hannon for the Casper Star-Tribune and circulated to the state's newspapers by the Wyoming News Exchange.)