POUGHKEEPSIE- “Tobacco use by our youth in Dutchess County has decreased,” said Commissioner of Health, Michael Caldwell, MD, MPH, with the Web site release of the Dutchess County Community Health Status Report prepared by the Dutchess County Department of Health.

“In addition, we have met the Department of Health and Human Services’s Healthy People 2010 goal for Infant Mortality.”

While Dutchess County residents have maintained and shown improvement in their health, other areas remain that need to be addressed.

“While lead cases, overall, are down, the number of children being screened for lead is also too low. More children need to be screened to make sure they are not being affected by lead poisoning,” said Caldwell. “Lyme disease continues to be high and risk factors for pregnant mothers, such as cigarette smoking and obesity, continue to be higher than we would like.”

The Department of Health released Community Health Status Report as part of National Public Health Week. This report provides a profile of our county’s community health as measured against the national Healthy People 2010 goals; and pulls together selected health indicators within four categories: Access to Health Care, Birth Measures, Morbidity (illness), and Mortality (Death) Measures. The Dutchess County Web site address is www.dutchessny.gov the report may be found by selecting the link to National Public Health Week.