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County Health Rankings

 

 

 


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Where you live may play a major role in how long - and how well  - you live as well.  

 

At least, according to this project by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

 

A fascinating (and detailed) collection of data.   Well worth visiting if you live in the US.  

 

A hat tip to Missouriwatcher on FluTrackers for the link.

 

 

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Press Release: How Healthy Is Your County? New County Health Rankings Give First County-by-County Snapshot of Health in Each State

 

University of Wisconsin/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Project
Ranks Counties on How Healthy People Are and How Long They Live

For More Information, Contact:
Kay Campbell or Becky Wexler at 301-652-1558

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
12:01 a.m. EST

Washington D.C. – The County Health Rankings—the first set of reports to rank the overall health of every county in all 50 states—were released today by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at a briefing in Washington, D.C and on www.countyhealthrankings.org.

 

The 50 state reports help public health and community leaders, policy-makers, consumers and others to see how healthy their county is, compare it with others within their state and find ways to improve the health of their community.

 

Each county is ranked within the state on how healthy people are and how long they live. They also are ranked on key factors that affect health such as: smoking, obesity, binge drinking, access to primary care providers, rates of high school graduation, rates of violent crime, air pollution levels, liquor store density, unemployment rates and number of children living in poverty.

 

Other studies have ranked states on health factors, but this is the first time researchers have examined the multiple factors that affect health in each county in all 50 states.

 

Poorly ranked counties often had multiple challenges to overcome, including:

  • Two- and three-fold higher rates of premature death, often from preventable conditions.
  • High smoking rates that lead to cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and emphysema.
  • High rates of obesity which can put people at risk for diabetes, disability and heart disease.
  • High unemployment and poverty rates.
  • High numbers of liquor stores and fast-food outlets but few places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

“For the first time, people have a tool to help identify what is making people in every county unhealthy,” says Patrick Remington, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean for public health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “We hope this kind of check-up will mobilize community leaders to take action and invest in programs and policy changes that make their counties healthier places to live.”

 

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