Our Challenges

The Mid-South region and NI partner organizations and institutions are challenged with providing comprehensive health education and services to a widely diverse, poverty-ridden community and with addressing the health disparities found among these residents. In addition, national indicators measuring health status finds the health risk factors and health behaviors for Tennessee residents to be high compared to the national average. While this is true for all Tennessee residents, the state is often referred to as three unique divisions of west, middle, and east. The health status and health disparities are of particular concern for West Tennessee and specifically of Shelby County and the surrounding Mississippi Delta area:

• High rates of obesity and other indicators of poor health characterize the residents of Shelby County and surrounding Mississippi Delta area. 
• In 2002-2004, obesity rates in the Memphis area exceeded both national and state rates
• The number of adults reporting high blood pressure in the Memphis area exceeds both state and national levels
• High rates of hypertension place many Memphis residents at risk for strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure
• In 2003, 16% of the high school students attending Memphis City Schools were overweight, higher than both rising state and national levels
• The number of children in the Greater Memphis area being diagnosed as overweight; obesity, pre diabetes, and Type 2 diabetes are increasing exponentially. 
• African Americans in Shelby County die at a higher rate from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes than Caucasians (Tennessee Department of Health, 2005).
   

In addition to the challenges of health disparities and poor health outcomes, the presence of a national nursing shortage has a significant impact for the healthcare of the country. In particular, the significance of the nursing shortage for Tennessee currently and projected to 2020 ranks consistently among the highest for all states.  According to reports from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, data review demonstrates that in 2005 Tennessee only met 77% of the demand for RNs and had the second worse supply/demand disproportion among all states. Projected data continues to be dismal. Projected supply meets only 53% of the 2020 demand. Tennessee continues to be among the worst states, ranking fifth, sixth, and seventh worst for 2010, 2015, and 2020 respectively. This shortage is equivalent to a need for 35,300 registered nurses http://www.centerfornursing.org/nursemanpower/index.html. Thus, Tennessee is and will continue to be one of the most severely affected states by the continuing national nursing shortage.