The twenty-eight counties that comprise East Texas have been cited as among the unhealthiest in the state. In a report jointly prepared and released in 2016 by The University of Texas System and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, this region, which covers more than 25,000 square miles with a population of more than 1.5 million people—50 percent of whom live in rural areas—ranks 45th in chronic lower respiratory disease mortality, 49th in heart disease mortality and 51st in stroke mortality. Moreover, the region ranks 45th in mortality from all disease-related causes of death.

The National Center for Health Statistics notes that East Texas has higher rates than the rest of Texas for deaths from cancer, kidney disease, suicide, infant mortality and from injuries sustained in workplace and automobile accidents. The report also notes that tobacco use is the single largest contributing factor for bad health throughout the region. One in four people living in East Texas are smokers. Even more staggering is that smoking rates among pregnant women are twice as high as the rest of the state. While other factors affect the health of the region (factors such as socioeconomic conditions, education, occupation and culturally-related factors handed down generation-to-generation such as food preparation utilizing fatty foods and frying in fatty oils), the report makes the conclusion that educating the populace on stopping the use of tobacco products and adopting healthy eating habits can be a major aid in reversing the current trend. According to experts, a healthy lifestyle is one of the best methods for preventing the onset of diseases that contribute to the excessively high mortality rate of the citizens of East Texas.

Education is a key factor for aiding community awareness about the health problems facing the East Texas region.

Several years ago, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler set its sights on closing regional health gaps through progressive education, cutting-edge research and premier, unrivaled healthcare. With the opening of a new building on campus to house the School of Community and Rural Health this fall, the vision to benefit human health and improve the quality of life for the East Texas community will be greatly enhanced. “The health of East Texas has always been of the utmost importance since my arrival. With the opening of the School of Community and Rural Health, combined with our research and hospital system, I firmly believe we are on track to truly impact the health of this community,” said Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, UT Health Science Center at Tyler President and UT Health East Texas Chairman of the Board.

As the only academic medical center in the region, the university offers rapidly expanding physician residency programs and the School of Community and Rural Health offers graduate degrees, both aimed at tackling the health disparities in East Texas. This array of programs serves to educate students while attracting top experts, leading to new discoveries, better treatments and preparing the next generation of physicians, all equipped for the healthcare of tomorrow. UT Health Science Center at Tyler has created a system where education, research and patient care all work in unison, culminating to improve the health of the region and beyond.

The creation of the UT Health East Texas health system gives more people across the region access to the latest treatments associated with a university medical center by offering the latest developments in community health and medical, biomedical and clinical research—all in Tyler’s backyard. Community outreach programs offered by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Health East Texas allow health professionals to go into the community and interact directly with citizens who are most at-risk for living unhealthy lifestyles.

The University offers six residencies: Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Psychiatry and Rural Family Medicine. Providing first-class medical education is part of an ongoing commitment, aimed at improving the quality of life in East Texas and beyond. These residency programs allow for cutting-edge care, close to home, and provide new doctors for the region with the latest and most advanced medical education and training. With General Surgery and Internal Medicine as the newest additions to its residency programs, UT Health Science Center at Tyler plans to continue its expansion of residencies to further grow the physician population of East Texas, benefitting the region’s citizens.

The institution also recently expanded its graduate studies to offer a total of three graduate level degrees: Master of Science in Biotechnology, Master of Health Administration and Master of Public Health. Each degree offers exceptional education from seasoned professors—not only in the classroom—but also throughout the communities of East Texas where the need for good healthcare and health education is the greatest. Students take part in meaningful research and community outreach programs that not only garner peer-reviewed publications, but also real-world preparation for the constantly evolving world of healthcare and health sciences. Upon graduation, students are equipped with marketable skills that span numerous industries that all benefit the improvement of the East Texas community’s health.

Improving the health of East Texans is a commitment of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Health East Texas. Working together, they are advancing education, advancing research and advancing healthcare together across East Texas.

To view Tyler Today’s original article, click here.