Geographical REGION Pediatric POPULATION

Northeast Texas is a diverse area that is home to more than 1.9 million individuals. 2 About 7.5% of Texans live in the region. Twenty-six counties in the area are rural, with populations of less than 50,000 people. There is no defined boundary for Northeast Texas. For this report, we have identified Northeast Texas as a 42-county region that encompasses the Texas Department of State Health Services Region 4/5 North and seven additional counties: Freestone, Hardin, Kaufman, Limestone, Leon and Madison. This area is used by The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine for recruitment and clinical placements with the goal of reducing health disparities and improving quality of life throughout the region.

There are approximately 450,000 children in Northeast Texas, comprising 30% of its total population. 3 An estimated 6.1% of Texas children live in Northeast Texas. Children growing up in Northeast Texas are more likely to live in poverty than their peers across Texas and the United States. The average child poverty rate for Northeast Texas counties is 22.4% compared to the state average of 18.8% and national average of 17%. Only three counties in Northeast Texas (Hardin, Kaufman and Rockwall) have child poverty rates below the national average. The highest rates of childhood poverty are seen in Marion and San Augustine counties, where nearly one-third of children live in poverty. 4

Childhood Poverty is associated with multiple poor health outcomes, including chronic illnesses, nutritional deficiencies and developmental delays. 5 With higher rates of poverty in Northeast Texas, children living there are at greater risk for these health problems than their counterparts.

Food insecurity is another crucial social driver associated with health challenges, including poor overall health, mental health problems, obesity, increased emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and increased health care expenditures. 6 Rates of childhood food insecurity are high in Northeast Texas. Only one county in the region (Rockwall) has childhood food insecurity rates below the national average of 15%, and only six counties are below the Texas average of 18.9%.7