The City of Racine Public Health Department has compiled data regarding current health status and other factors that impact the well being of Racine residents and visitors:
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Health
is more than physical well-being. People’s emotional and mental states can have
wide-ranging effects on those around them and the community. Costs for
addiction and treatment affect everyone in the City of Racine. Citizens who do
not get help or treatment can cause physical, emotional, and economic harm to
others through the commission of crimes, suicide, or other actions. Determining the best use of limited resources
can have impacts on reducing the rates of mental health and substance
abuse issues. This section contains information on unhealthy habits and mental health
concerns.
Sources:
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and
Excessive drinking reflects the percent of adults binge-drinking (males having five or more drinks on one occasion; females having four or more drinks on one occasion) and/or drinking heavily (women having more than one drink per day; men having more than two drinks per day, on average). In 2022, Racine County and State of Wisconsin have a higher percentage of the population that reports excessive drinking than the U.S.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control, National Cancer Institute, and 2020 Racine County Community Health Survey
Roughly 17% of City of Racine adult population residents use some form of tobacco product which is higher than Racine County, the State of Wisconsin, and the United States. Other tobacco products include smokeless tobacco, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, and e-cigarettes (“vaping”).
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control, National Cancer Institute, and Racine County Community Health Survey Summary
Racine County had the lowest rates of attempts in the past year of smokers trying to quit between the State of Wisconsin and the United States and the largest fluctuations between years.
Sources:
2020 Racine City Community Health Survey Report
City of Racine residents had a higher rate of exposure to second hand smoke in the past 7 dats by almost 3X the amount in 2020. However, Racine County had a better at home policy of families not allowing smoking within indoors to avoid second hand smoke.
Source:
2020 Racine City Community Health Survey Report
Usage of alcohol can be dangerous and has been associated with addiction and disease. City of Racine residents reported a 66% usage of alcohol in the past 30 days. Other addictive problems such as Marijuana, cocaine, heroin have a low rate of 4% and misusing prescription/OTC drugs is less than 1% for City of Racine residents. No information was found on gambling.
Sources:
2020 Racine County Community Health Survey
In 2020 there was an increase in people who reported they find meaning and purpose in daily life seldom/never and considered suicide in the past year while feelings of depression and sadness remained unchanged.
Sources: Racine County Medical Examiner,
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and
American Society for Suicide Prevention
The City of Racine’s suicide rate has been low in comparison to the state and country’s rate, which have been pretty consistently around 1.4 for the last decade. However, 2019 and 2020’s data has not yet been released for the city, but the County’s rate has risen back above the state and county’s.