What’s described as continued improvements in slowing death rates from such things cancer and heart disease are reflected in the annual report from the State Department of Public Health. The cancer death rate in Nevada County has dropped, in the last year, from 157 per-one-hundred-thousand residents to 148, ranking 31st among the 58 counties. The heart disease death rate has dropped from 97 to 91, ranking 29th. But Health and Human Services Director Michael Heggarty says accidental drug overdose deaths continue to be a big concern, at twice the state rate…

click to listen to Michael Heggarty

We recently reported that Nevada County has one of the highest overdose rates from opiates, such as heroin and vicodin. Fentanyl is also an opiate and Sacramento County has had 10 overdose deaths in the last couple of weeks. Heggarty says our suicide rate is also about twice the state rate, as well as the overall accidental death rate, which he is most puzzled about…

click to listen to Michael Heggarty

But Heggarty also notes that Nevada County has a very high participation in breast-feeding, the 5th-highest rate, which can improve infant health.