Cynthia Arce

Death By Zip Code

Dr. Missimi

11 October 2017

A Change of Health in Cleveland

Every zip code consists of different backgrounds and information. Where people reside

can tell a lot about that person. Since zip codes are filled with different people and environments,

the health in every zip code varies. The environment that people live in and the way that people

live can affect their lives dramatically. A person’s socioeconomic status, health behaviors,

environment, the healthcare they’re receiving, and even family genetics, can determine how

healthy a person really is (“What Determines Our Health?”). This results in different health

problems all across the world. There are different diseases and health problems in different

countries, states, cities, and even communities. One health issue that is commonly seen in

Cleveland, Ohio is sexually transmitted diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented

and there could be an improvement in society by using the health belief model.

After Columbus, Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio. It is filled with different

kinds of people and there are places to visit. In Cleveland, there are thirty nine different zip

codes. The total number of people that reside there is 385,809, and there are 34 neighborhoods.

The median age of people that live in Cleveland is 35, and the life expectancy is 74. Cleveland as

a whole city is very diverse (“Diversity In Greater Cleveland Communities”). The area of the zip

code 44109, is one of the most diverse areas. According to statistics, the total number of people

that live in this zip code in 2015 was 41,032. There are many different cultures and languages

spoken everywhere you go. The Hispanic community is above the state’s average. The highest
second language or language that is spoken other than English is Spanish. This is due to the

Hispanic population being very high in this area. Besides race, the population consists of 21,046

females, and 19,986 males, which in percentage form is 51.3% females and 48.7% males. So,

there is almost an equal amount of males and females that reside in this area.

One hospital that is located in Cleveland, Ohio is Metrohealth Hospital. There are more

than 20 Metrohealth Hospital locations in Cuyahoga County. The main campus is located on

Metrohealth Drive in Cleveland, Ohio. The total number of patients who visited this hospital last

year was 1,349,723. There was a 24% decrease in trauma deaths in Cuyahoga County. The main

campus of Metrohealth Hospital is known for its level one adult trauma care center, critical care,

burns, acute care surgery, and level two pediatric trauma center (“Metrohealth Annual Report”).

Metrohealth Hospital is also a teaching hospital. Currently, 97% of the people that reside in

Cuyahoga County can reach a Metrohealth Hospital campus 10 minutes away from their home.

Since this hospital receives over a million patients a year, there are different illnesses and health

problems that are seen.

There were different types of diseases that were reported in the city of Cleveland. In

2016, there were 13,322 cases of diseases, not including cases of HIV. However, only 11,617 of

the cases that were reported were actually confirmed. Some of the highest health issues that are

seen there is heart disease, cancers, HIV/AIDS, and influenza (“Annual Summary of Infectious

Diseases.) Cases of sexually transmitted diseases have also emerged in this area. Out of the

11,617 cases of diseases that were actually confirmed in the city of Cleveland, 9,760 of them

were sexually transmitted diseases. In 2016, there were 6,669 cases of Chlamydia Trachoma-tis

Infection. There were 2,844 cases of Gonorrhea. There was an 18% decrease in Chlamydia cases,

and a 20% decrease in Gonorrhea cases since 2012. According to the Cleveland Department of
Public Health, Cuyahoga county was number 20 in the United States, for having the most

Chlamydia infections in 2014. Cuyahoga County was also number 14 in the United States for

having the most Gonorrhea infections.

Sexually transmitted diseases are diseases that can be prevented. A model that would be a

big help in changing and preventing sexually transmitted diseases would be the health belief

model. This model would help society because it is a theory about why people take action and

why they don’t. Finding out why so many people get sexually transmitted diseases in this area

and how they choose to go about their lives after they get them can be found out through this

model.

First, perceived susceptibility takes place in this model. This is where people are

susceptible to thinking that something will happen to them. In this stage people don’t know the

risks and believe they will not contract a sexually transmitted disease. There are interventions

that can take place to help these people. One way to get people to know the risks of sexually

transmitted diseases is first by asking them. What motivates people and why people do what they

do will be answered by just asking. One way this can be done is by conducting an online or paper

survey. A survey can figure out what people perceive and this will determine what needs to be

done to get them the help they need. While surveys are more private, interviewing people can

also be helpful because some people might like talking their problems out with others. Also, an

education session can be done that people can go to so they can get the information they need.

Questions can be asked and answered at these sessions. Giving people information about how

serious an STD can get once they have it, might make people think about their actions and using

protection. Some younger people might not even know that there are ways to prevent contracting

them. Therefore, letting people know about protection may lead to less individuals getting these
diseases. Another way is to get the required vaccines shots like the Hepatitis B shot, to prevent

getting it in the first place. There are tests that hospitals and clinics do to see if people have

STD’s. If a person already has an STD, there can also be information sessions about how to get

rid of it and how to prevent contracting it in the future.

Sometimes on surveys or at interviews people might say that if they contract a sexually

transmitted disease it is not bad and nothing will happen to them. This is the second stage that

takes place in the health belief model, perceived severity. This is where people may think that

there would be a big problem if something does happen to them like getting a sexually

transmitted disease. Some people might not know that STD’s can lead to worse diseases.

Therefore, education sessions can teach people what other diseases STD’s can lead to and how

severe it really is.

The next stage in the health belief model is perceived benefits and this is when people

start asking if it will really help them or not. There may be barriers that might stop people from

getting the help and finding the information they need. Some barriers people might have is that

they don’t have money, or that they don’t have a ride to the hospital. If people have barriers, and

are unable to make it to education sessions, then there can be a phone number that they can call.

There can be a phone line that is available for people to talk to and they can get the information

they need through the phone instead of actually going to the sessions. If transportation is a

problem, there could be available accommodations that people can use to get to the hospital,

clinic, or education session.

There are many cues of action that can take place. Surveys, education programs, phone

lines, and interviews are ways to help people get the information that they need. In order to find

out if these interventions have worked, there can be another survey done on the same people that
took the surveys and went to the information sessions a few months later. This survey would

give a percentage on how they have changed their ways of thinking and if their questions were

answered about sexually transmitted diseases. This second survey could also find out if less

people have contracted an STD or if people got rid of them or not.

The last stage is self efficacy and this is where the person actually has the ability to

achieve the task. Such as actually going to the classes that are offered in order to learn the

information that they don’t know or actually taking the time to call the available phone line.

Another example of this is if they actually start to use protection when in sexual contact to

prevent getting an STD in the first place. For the people that already had an STD going into the

education session provided, they can try to get rid of it. Also, they would now know what to look

for and how to tell if they have contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

There are many health issues in Cleveland, Ohio. However, sexually transmitted diseases

are commonly seen and there are ways to help prevent it. According to the Cleveland

Department of Public Health, there were 11,617 cases of diseases in Cleveland, Ohio, and 9,760

of those diseases were STD’s. By just asking people what they know and don’t know, people are

able to find out a lot about what society knows. The health belief model is a theory about why

people take action and why they don’t. Surveys, interviews, and education programs may be the

answer to societies struggles with STD’s. By taking action in society, sexually transmitted

diseases can be prevented and people that have contracted an STD can be helped.
 Works Cited

“What Determines Our Health.” What Affects Our Health?, www.healthdatamatters.org/health-

overview.

“2016 Metrohealth and Trauma Report.” Metrohealth.org,

www.metrohealth.org/upload/docs/main/Medical%20Services/Trauma/MetroHealth_Trauma_O
utcomes_2016.pdf.

“2012 STD Survelliance Report: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.” Clevelandhealth.org,

www.clevelandhealth.org/assets/documents/health/health_statistics/2013-
2015_STD_Report_Chlamydia_Gonorrhea.pdf.

“Cleveland, OH 44109 ZIP Code Profile.” 44109 ZIP Code Map, Demographics & Rankings,
ohio.hometownlocator.com/zip-codes/data,zipcode,44109.cfm.

Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). “American FactFinder - Community

Facts.” Request Rejected, 5 Oct. 2010,
factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml?src=bkmk.

LeBorgne, Allison, and Chenai Milton. “Annual Summary of Infectious Diseases for the City of
Cleveland, 2016.”
www.clevelandhealth.org/assets/documents/health/communicable_disease/2016_Annual_Diseas
e_Summary.pdf.

“2015 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Profile for Cuyahoga County and the City of
Cleveland.” Clevelandhealth.org,
www.clevelandhealth.org/assets/documents/health/health_statistics/2015_HIVAIDS_Surveillanc
e_Report_for_Cleveland_and_Cuyahoga_County.pdf.

“2016 Metrohealth and Trauma Report.” Metrohealth.org,

www.metrohealth.org/upload/docs/main/Medical%20Services/Trauma/MetroHealth_Trauma_O
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