In line with national trends, crime rates in the St. Louis region dropped over the last eight years, with a 17.2 percent reduction in total crime and a 19.8 percent reduction in property crime since 2003.8 Violent crimes have fluctuated, with a slight increase since 2003. The perception of safety in the St. Louis region varies greatly by geographic area,but an April 2013 Gallup Survey reports that 74 percent of citizens of the region feel safe walking alone at night in the area where they live. This statistic puts greater St. Louis as the 14th safest metro area on the list of the 50 most populous MSA’s in the country.
Nevertheless, localized parts of our region suffer from high crime rates, which negatively affect perceptions of the region as a whole. Residents in some of the community planning area meetings also identified crime as a high priority concern. Public safety can be addressed through enhanced community policing with involved neighborhoods and through improved neighborhood design.
The region’s record on public health is mixed. St. Louis is above average with respect to infant mortality, and is number one on asthma risk. On the other hand, in 2009 St. Louis was above average in individuals with health insurance coverage. Racial disparity continues to be a serious issue for the region. The black infant mortality rate in the region is more than three times as high as the white infant mortality rate, and white median household income is twice that of black households.
To assess the status of regional public health, in 2012 the St. Louis Regional Health Commission released the (2000-2010) Decade Review of Health Status. Among this report’s 14 leading health indicators and many successes, three items stand out as challenges for the region: 1) Poor health outcomes continue to be geographically concentrated; 2) Despite overall improvement in health status throughout the region over the past 10 years, race- and gender-based disparities persist; and 3) Despite overall improvement in health status over the past decade, negative trends in obesity, tobacco use, and inactivity were observed. These risk factors are associated with many social determinants of health. Additionally, the region’s poor air quality is a contributing factor to St. Louis having the highest risk of asthma in the nation. Attention should be given to alleviating congestion and improving the region’s air quality in an effort to promote public health and prosperity.
