13-02-2025
SF health assessment highlights 3 priorities
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A new report is providing a look at the health of the population in the Sioux Falls area.
The Community Health Assessment is done for the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area every three years.
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On Wednesday, the Sioux Falls Health Department and local hospitals presented the report for 2025.
The 2025 Community Health Assessment lists three health priorities over the next three years.
One of them is healthy living and chronic disease prevention.
City of Sioux Falls Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jennifer Tinguely, highlighted obesity, which can lead to other health issues.
'Here in Sioux Falls in our MSA, we do have a very high percentage of our residents living with obesity. Our statistic, it's 37 percent of adults in the MSA do qualify as being obese,' Tinguely said.
Another priority is adolescent mental health.
'In South Dakota, suicide is the leading cause of death in young population, so ages 10-29. The leading cause of death is somebody taking their own life,' Tinguely said.
The third priority is access to care, particularly oral health.
According to the report, roughly a quarter of adults in the Sioux Falls MSA do not get an annual dental visit.
'So dentists in our community. How can we strengthen those efforts whether it's private sector dentists and also we run a dental clinic,' Sioux Falls Health Department Director Joe Kippley said.
Kippley says it will take more than clinicians to address the priorities.
'But other nonprofits, community resources to take a holistic approach to it,' Kippley said.
The report was compiled using surveys, focus groups, and other sources such as the state health 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
