Community Health Statistics for Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Description of Caddo Parish, Louisiana
With about a quarter of a million residents, Caddo Parish, Louisiana is a fairly older community with almost two-thirds of its population aged 25 years or older. Most of the residents of Caddo Parish (82.3%) are high school graduate or higher and 22.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher compared to the national averages of 84.6% and 27.5%, respectively. There are slightly more females than males in Caddo Parish, and median family incomes are slightly lower than the national average at $48,522; per capita income is also slightly less than the national average at $22,323. There are also slightly more whites than blacks (50.3% compared to 46.4%, respectively) in Caddo Parish. Recent relevant statistical data for these and other areas of interest are presented below.
Table
Biophysical Considerations: Caddo Parish
Population Size
Census
Pop.
5,282
8,884
68.2%
12,140
36.7%
21,714
78.9%
26,296
21.1%
Population Size
Census
Pop.
31,555
20.0%
1900
44,499
41.0%
1910
58,200
30.8%
1920
83,265
43.1%
1930
124,670
49.7%
1940
150,203
20.5%
1950
176,547
17.5%
1960
223,859
26.8%
1970
230,184
2.8%
1980
252,358
9.6%
1990
248,253
1.6%
2000
252,161
1.6%
2006
253,118
0.4% (estimate)
Source: Caddo Parish Census Data, United States Census Bureau. "Louisiana Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990" at http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts / la190090.txt.
Table 2
Social Characteristics of Caddo Parish
Social Characteristics
Estimate
Percent
U.S.
Margin of Error
Average household size
2.50
2.60
+/-0.02
Average family size
3.23
3.19
+/-0.04
Population 25 years and over
163,358
+/-151
High school graduate or higher
83.2
84.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher
22.3
27.5%
Civilian veterans (civilian population 18 years and over)
21,732
11.6
10.1%
+/-838
With a Disability
Foreign born
4,593
1.8
12.4%
+/-592
Male, Now married, except separated (population 15 years and over)
42,075
45.3
52.3%
+/-983
Female, Now married, except separated (population 15 years and over)
40,134
37.5
48.4%
+/-1,125
Speak a language other than English at home (population 5 years and over)
8,447
3.6
19.6%
+/-702
Household population
244,937
+/-1,216
Group quarters population
Table 3
Economic Characteristics of Caddo Parish
Economic Characteristics
Estimate
Percent
U.S.
Margin of Error
In labor force (population 16 years and over)
120,200
61.4
65.0%
+/-1,680
Mean travel time to work in minutes (workers 16 years and over)
19.2
25.2
+/-0.4
Median household income (in 2009 inflation-adjusted dollars)
36,536
51,425
+/-923
Median family income (in 2009 inflation-adjusted dollars)
48,522
62,363
+/-1,507
Per capita income (in 2009 inflation-adjusted dollars)
22,323
27,041
+/-511
Families below poverty level
15.8
9.9%
+/-1.0
Individuals below poverty level
21.1
13.5%
+/-0.9
Table 4
Housing Characteristics of Caddo Parish
Housing Characteristics
Estimate
Percent
U.S.
Margin of Error
Total housing units
113,303
+/-499
Occupied housing units
98,086
86.6
88.2%
+/-1,105
Owner-occupied housing units
62,407
63.6
66.9%
+/-1,094
Renter-occupied housing units
35,679
36.4
33.1%
+/-1,109
Vacant housing units
15,217
13.4
11.8%
+/-949
Owner-occupied homes
62,407
+/-1,094
Median value (dollars)
106,700
185,400
+/-2,834
Median of selected monthly owner costs
With a mortgage (dollars)
1,046
1,486
+/-21
Not mortgaged (dollars)
+/-6
Table 5
Demographic Estimates for Caddo Parish
ACS Demographic Estimates
Estimate
Percent
U.S.
Margin of Error
Total population
252,467
Male
119,938
47.5
49.3%
+/-98
Female
132,529
52.5
50.7%
+/-98
Median age (years)
35.6
36.5
+/-0.1
Under 5 years
17,864
7.1
6.9%
+/-73
18 years and over
188,634
74.7
75.4%
+/-24
65 years and over
34,175
13.5
12.6%
+/-113
One race
249,130
98.7
97.8%
+/-472
White
127,032
50.3
74.5%
+/-531
Black or African-American
117,124
46.4
12.4%
+/-443
American Indian and Alaska Native
0.3
0.8%
+/-311
Asian
2,283
0.9
4.4%
+/-147
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
78
0.0
0.1%
+/-30
Some other race
1,795
0.7
5.6%
+/-437
Two or more races
3,337
1.3
2.2%
+/-472
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
5,583
2.2
15.1%
Explanation of Symbols:
'***' - The median falls in the lowest interval or upper interval of an open-ended distribution. A statistical test is not appropriate.
'*****' - The estimate is controlled. A statistical test for sampling variability is not appropriate.
'N' - Data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.
'(X)' - The value is not applicable or not available.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey
The 2000 Census indicates that slightly more than 252,000 live in Caddo Parish, representing a modest growth of about 1.6% in recent years. The Parish is comprised of the following eleven municipalities: Belcher, Blanchard, Gilliam, Greenwood, Hosston,...
Caddo Parish Public Expenditures
Source: Annual report, 2010 (http://www.caddo.org/pdfs/2010_Annual_Report.pdf)
Physical Environmental Considerations
Potential for disaster:
The potential for disaster in Caddo Parish is pronounced, given its proximity to Shreveport as shown in Figure 1 below:
Figure 2. Caddo Parish Flood Zone
Source: http://www.caddo.org/Images/fzonebig.jpg
The physical environment characteristics of Caddo Parish are set forth in Tables 6 and 7 below.
Table 6
Physical Environment Characteristics of Caddo Parish
Geography and Statistics
Statistics
Average elevation
174 feet
Land area in square miles
Water area in square miles
54.9
Table 7
Climate for Caddo Parish
Average temperatures
Statistics
Annual
65°
January
55°
July
93°
Annual average rainfall
50 inches
Flooding
The ravages of Hurricane Katrina made it painfully clear that the low-lying coastal regions of Louisiana are highly vulnerable to flooding. At present, the Caddo Parish Flood Control Section is tasked with maintaining stormwater drainage facilities pursuant to
1. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) guidelines based on the following objectives:
Promote awareness of floodplain management issues
2. Administer and enforce the Floodplain Ordinances for Caddo Parish
3. Address storm-water and drainage issues in new development
4. Seek solutions to existing flood problems.
5. Provide assistance where possible to inquiries relating to flood control and drainage issues (Parish Departments, 2011, para. 5).
Earthquake
Three recent magnitude 5+ earthquakes in the region emphasize that vulnerability of the part of the country to earthquakes in the future.
Explosion/volcano
Oil and gas refining facilities in the region pose an ongoing threat of explosion, but there are no volcanoes in the region.
Severe weather conditions
Frequent, particularly during hurricane season.
To what extent are vital community structures likely to withstand a disaster?
Communications still pose a problem and FEMA continues to assess ways to improve the Caddo Parish infrastructure.
What is the potential for toxic exposures?
Given the proximity to oil and gas refining facilities in Shreveport, some of which are more than 100 years old, the potential for toxic exposures is significant.
Sociocultural Considerations
Are community members able to work together for disaster planning?
The Parish Commission recently created an Intergovernmental Consortium to help coordinate departmental activities (Annual report, 2007).
Health System Considerations
How well prepared are health service agencies to respond to a disaster?
The Caddo Parish Commission Parish Administrator and CEO, Woodrow Wilson, Jr., routinely conducts biweekly meetings with health service agency directors to coordinate services and initiatives (Wilson, 2011).
What facilities are available?
The following facilities are available in Caddo Parish:
1. Caddo-Shreveport Health Unit (1035 Creswell Street);
2. North Caddo Parish Health Unit (102 Industrial, Vivian, LA);
3. Shreveport Regional Laboratory (533 Vine Street);
4. Caddo Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic (1031 Creswell);
5. Environmental Health Services Center (1033 Creswell).
Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory
What is the extent of water pollution? What pollutants are involved?
According to the Parish's annual report, "Remaining at the top of the list are the challenges that we face with the Wilcox 1 Aquifer, which is the primary ground water source for potable water for area residents in the rural parts of the Parish" (2007, p. 7). On August 19, 2011, a temporary ground water emergency was declared for Caddo Parish (Order No. Env 2011-GW-014) that warned of aquifer depletion in the area as a result of the ongoing drought. Because many of the rural residents in the region depend on the same aquifer supplies using wells that pre-date 1985, it has been difficult to assess the impact of this drought on concentration of pollutants for these consumers (Order No. Env 2011-GW -- 014, 2011). Currently, some communities are experiencing a lack of safe drinking water and the Parish Commission has collaborated with researchers at Louisiana State University to assess potable ground water sources for quality and quantity in five test wells but the results of these analyses have not yet been published (Annual report, 2007).
Do local weather conditions pose health hazards? Are there drowning hazards?
Yes.
Do wild animals in the area serve as reservoirs for disease?
Rodents and mosquitoes represent a major health threat for many of the rural residents in Caddo Parish and require ongoing abatement programs (Parish Departments, 2011). The Parish's 2010 annual report notes that a Mosquito Control Facility together with research of diseases and viruses related to mosquitoes and rodents have been installed.
Do stray animals pose a safety or health hazard in the neighborhood?
This problem appears to be improving. The Parish Commission has made spay/neuter initiatives a high priority and the number of euthanized animals has dropped significantly (Annual report, 2007). More recently, animal control staff responded to almost 10,000 citizen complaints concerning strays (Annual report, 2010).
Safety Hazards in the Sociocultural Environment
Caddo Parish has a long history of racial unrest dating to the early 19th century (Vandal, 1998), and as late as mid-20th century, some blacks were still held in virtual bonded servitude by white land owners throughout the parish and black were routinely denied access to educational resources (De Jong, 2002). It should be noted, though, that the affirmative action efforts that were used to address longstanding educational access in the parish have resulted in some "reverse discrimination" lawsuits that have highlighted the emerging "race neutral" position of the Caddo Parish school board (Recent decisions -- primary and secondary education, 2005). The number of juvenile offenders in the Caddo Parish Detention Center was reduction from an average of 48 in 2006 to 38 on average in 2007 (Annual report, 2007).
To its credit, the Parish has targeted youth offenders and substance abuse through a number of innovative approaches, including a restorative justice diversion program and misdemeanor and truancy referral center operated by the District Attorney's Office; in addition, the Parish maintains a Family Drug Court to help reduce the incidence of substance abuse in the area and the Parish recently received a $50,000.00 grant to staff a person for the Family Drug Court (Annual report, 2007). More recently, a Juvenile Services Mental Health Out-Patient treatment Center has also been installed (Annual report, 2010).
Interpret the collected data using concepts of epidemiology (e.g., birth rate, death rate).
As can be seen from the data presented in Table 8 below, the percentage of infants receiving prenatal care within the…
In addition, victims may make a written victim impact statement and present their statement to the court. Corrections: Identify 2 to 3 correctional facilities in Louisiana. Provide information about the types of facilities they are (maximum or minimum security); the types of designs; whether they are private or public; their population statistics; and their type of crime statistics. The Elayn Hunt Correctional Center is the second largest prison within the state