Health · Panama

Panama, OK health

Panama differs from Oklahoma on 15 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (23.9% vs 16.4%) and more adults with COPD (10.8% vs 8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Panama
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Panama’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Panama is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns, and than 22% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressC-ObesityC-DiabetesD-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 7%
Less healthyHealthier
Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 25%
Towns with similar incomes, $35K–$59K (4,442)Healthier than 22%

Better than its income would suggest. Panama is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Panama could be anywhere from D− to C.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Oklahoma ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Panama with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Panama uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Panama compares with Oklahoma

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Panama adults…

42 of every 100 Panama adults have high blood pressure
Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · too close to call · margin 37.6–46%

Bars show Panama; the black tick is Oklahoma. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Panama, betterPanama, worseToo close to callOklahoma
Get no exerciseshare of adults 37.2% Panama
OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.2% Panama
OK 36.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.2% Panama
OK 14%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22% Panama
OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
OK 78%
52%
Dentist visit
OK 57%
83%
Cholesterol check
OK 84%
59%
Colon screening
OK 60%
65%
Mammogram
OK 70%
78%
Taking BP meds
OK 76%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Panama 11.4% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Panama adults are doing

1 in 3Panama adults feel lonely
34.9% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Panama adults have been diagnosed with depression
27% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Panama adults lack social or emotional support
27.1% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Panama adults are in frequent mental distress
20.6% · Oklahoma 18% · worse
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 4
Panama adults worry about having enough food
22.3% · OK 18.5% · worse
1 in 6
Panama adults worry about keeping their housing
15.7% · OK 14.1% · about the same
1 in 8
Panama adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
12.1% · OK 10.3% · worse
1 in 9
Panama adults lack reliable transportation
11.6% · OK 9.6% · worse

20% of Panama adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

43.9%

of Panama adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.3%
Thinking or memory20.5%
Hearing10.6%
Errands alone12%
Vision7.5%
Dressing or bathing5.5%

Black tick: Oklahoma. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Panama

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

HNearest EREastern Oklahoma Medical CenterPoteau · 9.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySequoyah County-City of Sallisaw Hospital Authorit★★★★★ · 21.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careStigler Health and Wellness CenterPoteau · 5.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.9 mi
Stigler Health and Wellness Center
3 sites · nearest in Poteau
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.3 mi
Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center
Poteau · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
14.6 mi
River Valley Primary Care Services
5 sites · nearest in Bonanza
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
19.8 mi
Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Fort Smith · ★★★★★
ER
21.4 mi
Sequoyah County-City of Sallisaw Hospital Authorit
Sallisaw · ★★★★★
ER
21.8 mi
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
Fort Smith · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary carePanama's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental carePanama's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthPanama's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 21 · need score 19 of 25

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 Panama. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Panama
MeasurePanamaMarginOklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.8%37.6–46%38.5%about the same
High cholesterol40.7%36.4–45.1%37.7%about the same
Obesity39.8%32.4–47.3%38.9%about the same
Arthritis31.7%28.4–35.1%27.8%worse
Depression27%23.3–31%25.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)23.9%19.9–28.3%16.4%worse
Asthma12.9%11.4–14.5%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.3%7.5–9.3%7.8%about the same
Diabetes14.9%12.9–16.9%12.8%worse
COPD10.8%9.4–12.4%8%worse
Heart disease8.8%7.8–9.8%7.3%worse
Stroke4.6%4.1–5.1%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22%18.7–25.4%16.3%worse
Binge drink13.2%10.7–16.1%14%about the same
Get no exercise37.2%32–42.7%31.1%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.2%32.3–44.3%36.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.7%75–82.1%77.9%about the same
Dentist visit51.8%48.1–55.5%57.1%worse
Cholesterol check83.1%80.8–85.4%84.3%about the same
Colon screening59.2%54.1–64.2%59.7%about the same
Mammogram64.9%56.4–72.7%70.4%about the same
Taking BP meds77.9%75–80.5%76.3%about the same
No health insurance11.4%9.3–13.8%11.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.9%29.4–40.8%33.1%about the same
Lack emotional support27.1%23–31.7%25.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress20.6%18.3–23.1%18%worse
Fair or poor health25.7%22.3–29.3%21.2%worse
Frequent physical distress17.5%15.4–19.8%14.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity22.3%18.9–26.1%18.5%worse
Housing insecurity15.7%13.2–18.4%14.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat12.1%10.4–14%10.3%worse
No reliable transportation11.6%10.1–13.4%9.6%worse
Receive SNAP20%16.8–23.6%15.1%
Disability
Any disability43.9%39.2–49%38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs21.3%18.6–24.2%17.1%
Thinking or memory20.5%18.1–23.2%17.3%
Hearing10.6%9.4–11.9%9.1%
Vision7.5%6.7–8.4%6%
Dressing or bathing5.5%4.9–6.2%4.3%
Errands alone12%10.5–13.5%9.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Panama door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Panama better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Panama directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oklahoma figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01