S.O.A.R.
HEALTH
Work Group
Listening
Session
Nikki Stone, DMD
Chair, S.O.A.R. Health
Work Group
daria.stone@uky.edu
What is S.O.A.R.?
A bi-partisan effort led by Governor
Steve Beshear and Representative Hal
Rogers.
 It began with a summit in Pikeville in
December 2013.
 There are 10 work groups who are
holding “listening sessions” this summer.
 Each will present a report in August with
the 3-5 most promising ideas.

What is the Health Work Group?

Our “charge” is to lift up innovative
opportunities to enhance regional access to
health care and human services, including
suggestions for a significant increase in
partnership/collaboration across sectors,
institutions, and governments. This work
must include regional attention to the social
determinants of health, as well as the unique
opportunities offered by technology and nonhealth related institutions to improve
regional health outcomes.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
OF OUR CHARGE IS TO
“Improve Regional
Health Outcomes”
Important points
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The most important part of the HEALTH work
group’s charge is to improve regional health
outcomes.
Health care is currently the #1 economic engine in
our region.
BUT even though we have lots of excellent health
care options in our region, it is not accessed by
everyone, and especially not by those who need it
most.
AND we continue to rank poorly on nearly every
important health measure.
IF we continue to do what we’re doing, we will
continue to have poor health outcomes in Appalachia.
PERCEPTIONS & OPINIONS
 Perceptions
& Opinions Matter
◦ Let’s Find Out What You THINK
What do you know about the
health of KENTUCKY?

Where do you think Kentucky ranks on
the following health measures:
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Total Mortality (death from any cause)
Cancer Deaths
Smokers
Poor Mental Health
Poor Physical Health
Heart Disease Deaths
Obesity
Premature Deaths
What do you know about the
health of your own COUNTY?

In my home county, PERRY, what
percentage of the population:
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Don’t Meet Recommended Fruit/Vegetable Intake
High Blood Pressure
Lack Physical Activity
Tooth Loss (adults with 6+ teeth missing)
Obesity
Adult Smokers
Teen Smokers
Diabetes (adults)
Binge Drinking
What do you know about
your OWN health?


List 3 healthy things about you…
List 3 un-healthy things about you…

Who is the healthiest person you know?
◦ List 3 reasons why…

Who is the un-healthiest person you know?
◦ List 3 reasons why…
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Where would YOU rank in the Kentucky rankings?
What would the Kentucky Institute of Medicine say
about YOU?
FACTS & EVIDENCE
 Facts
& Evidence Matters Too!
◦ Let’s Find Out What the FACTS Are!
What do you know about the
health of KENTUCKY?

Where do you think Kentucky ranks on
the following health measures:
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50th Total Mortality (death from any cause)
50th Cancer Deaths
49th Smokers
49th Poor Mental Health
48th Poor Physical Health
46th Heart Disease Deaths
45th Obesity
42nd Premature Deaths
www.kyiom.org
What do you know about the
health of your own COUNTY?

In my home county, PERRY, what percentage
of the population:
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85% Don’t Meet Recommended Fruit/Vegetable Intake
41% High Blood Pressure
38% Lack Physical Activity
38% Tooth Loss (adults with 6+ teeth missing)
34% Obesity
31% Adult Smokers
25% Teen Smokers
9% Diabetes (adults)
4% Binge Drinking
www.kentuckyhealthfacts.org
Kentucky County Rankings
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TEN HIGHEST:
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Oldham (1/120)
Boone
Jessamine
Anderson
Woodford
Fayette
Spencer
Daviess
Calloway
Clark
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TEN LOWEST:
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Owsley
Powell
Hart
Knott
Lee
McCreary
Perry
Harlan
Clay
Wolfe (120/120)
MOST IMPORTANT
HEALTH ISSUES

Now that you have in front of you:
◦ your own perceptions & opinions
◦ the facts & the evidence
◦ If you had to choose the 3-5 most important
health issues facing our Appalachian region, what
would you pick?
K.I.O.M. “Biggies”
#1 Smoking
 #2 Obesity/Lack of Physical Activity
 #3 Oral Health
 #4 Motor Vehicle Deaths
 #5 Violent Crime/ Drug Arrests

Friedell Committee “Biggies”
#1 Smoking
 #2 Cancer
 #3 Preventable Hospitalizations
 #4 Heart Disease
 #5 Poor Physical Health
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INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Now that you’ve narrowed down in your
mind what the 3-5 most important health
issues facing our Appalachian region are…
◦ How would you move forward with finding
innovative opportunities to improve regional health
outcomes?
 Would you target each individual health issue?
 Or would you take a more holistic approach??
Kentucky Institute of Medicine
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Simple Recommendations:
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Don’t smoke.
Eat a healthy diet.
Get regular physical activity.
Use seatbelts.
Use safety equipment at work & at home.

Kentucky Institute of Medicine “THE HEALTH OF
KENTUCKY, A COUNTY ASSESSMENT” (2007)
Friedell Committee
Involve health departments, county health
boards, cooperative extension agencies,
other partners
 Foster community involvement
 Educate the population
 Identify & share successful examples
 Consider all influences: literacy,
education, prevention, early intervention,
on-going coordinated care, community,
public policy

Foundation for a Healthy KY
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Coordinated School Health
Primary Care
Integrated Mental Health and Medical
Services
Health Policy Advocacy
Local Data for Local Action
◦ Polls on what Kentuckians think about various
health issues.
◦ Resources for starting projects and programs.
 www.healthy-ky.org
IMPLEMENTATION
BRAIN STORMING
 What innovative ideas do YOU have ??

◦ List 3 ideas…
 Now give each idea a time frame:
 Could be implemented in 3-5 years.
 Could be implemented in 1 year.
 Could be implemented in 1 week !!!
◦
What can YOU go out
and do THIS WEEK to
improve the health of
our region?
2013 Give Kids a Smile Day, teaching kids and families
about the Drink Pyramid and visiting with the Tooth Fairy.
Be sure to let us know
by sharing your
S.O.A.R.-inspired
projects and ideas on
how to improve our
region’s health at
http://www.soar-ky.org.
YOU
Improving the health of Kentucky begins with
YOU…
 What will YOU do to be a healthier person?

◦ REMEMBER:
◦“YWTAYTTBYTTLTYWT”
YOUR
WALK TALKS
AND YOUR
TALK TALKS
BUT
YOUR
WALK TALKS
LOUDER
THAN YOUR
TALK TALKS.
YWTAYTTBYWTLTYTT
MOVING FORWARD
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Your innovative ideas have been recorded. Your comments have been
heard. You have shown your commitment to your region.
Now, the Health Work Group will compile all of these ideas and sort
through them to choose the 3-5 most promising ones and present them
in a final report to Gov. Beshear & Rep. Rogers in August.
S.O.A.R. is currently working to hire an Executive Director who will move
forward with facilitating these new projects and a separate committee is
currently finding funding sources for each of them.
S.O.A.R.’s Second Annual Summit will be held in November in Pikeville.
Stay informed at:
◦ http://www.soar-ky.org
◦ Facebook: SOAR
◦ Twitter: @SOAR_EKY