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Lerna United Methodist Church, August 2009 - panoramioPhoto: Glenn M. Harden · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
Health in Lerna · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Lerna residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Lerna, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lerna. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Lerna

Cancer and arthritis run high in Lerna

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.4%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Lerna runs above Illinois on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Fewer Lerna adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Nearly everyone in Lerna is insured

Only 6.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓

Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Illinois figure falls outside Lerna’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Lerna adults…

Lerna runs above IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Lerna adults have had cancer
Illinois: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.6–12.1%
Better than ILWorseAbout the sameIllinois
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10
Lerna adults worry about having enough food
10.1% · IL 15.9%
Better than IL
1 in 12
Lerna adults worry about keeping their housing
8.3% · IL 13.2%
Better than IL
1 in 19
Lerna adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.2% · IL 7.8%
Better than IL
1 in 17
Lerna adults lack reliable transportation
5.8% · IL 8%
Better than IL

9.3% of Lerna adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Lerna adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.

80%Yearly checkupIL 78%
65%Dentist visitIL 63%
89%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
70%Colon screeningIL 60%
72%MammogramIL 74%
80%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lerna 6.3% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Getting care

Care in and near Lerna

No hospital or community health center in Lerna itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERSarah Bush Lincoln Health CenterMattoon · 4.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySarah Bush Lincoln Health Center★★★★★ · 4.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois Healthcare FoundationMattoon · 5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.9 mi
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center
Mattoon · ★★★★★
ER
5 mi
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
5 sites · nearest in Mattoon
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.5 mi
St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital
Effingham · ★★★★★
ER
27.7 mi
HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital
Shelbyville · not rated
ERRural critical access
35.1 mi
Paris Community Hospital
Paris · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
44.9 mi
Vpchc - West Terre Haute
West Terre Haute · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Lerna itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Lerna itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Lerna itself

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Lerna; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois

Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.5%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.8%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 17.3%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 12.8%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Lerna, betterLerna, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Lerna gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Lerna adults are doing

About the same as Illinois on each measure.

1 in 3Lerna adults feel lonely
32% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Lerna adults lack social or emotional support
22.5% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Lerna adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.3% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 6Lerna adults are in frequent mental distress
15.8% · IL 15.6% · About the same as IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Lerna adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Lerna and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.9%

of Lerna adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.2%
Thinking or memory12.3%
Hearing7.8%
Errands alone7.5%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.4%
Illinois

Questions about health in Lerna

Why doesn’t Lerna have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Lerna.

What hospital is closest to Lerna?

Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Lerna’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Lerna?

2 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Sihf Healthcare - Mattoon in Mattoon, 5.0 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lerna.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.