Oconto County ranks in the middle of the pack for health in the state, according to the annual County Health Rankings released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The rankings are a snapshot comparing the health of nearly every county in the nation. The data allows each state to see how its counties compare on multiple factors that influence health, including education, housing, violent crime, jobs, diet and exercise.
Of the 72 counties in Wisconsin, Oconto County ranks in the bottom half for health outcomes (47), similar to its 2013 rank of 46, but an improvement from 2014 when it ranked 57th.
“The data from the rankings reinforce that action continues to be necessary to improve health in our community,” said Debra Konitzer, Oconto County health officer. “The Healthy Oconto County 2018 Committee is implementing strategies to positively impact three priority health issues: nutrition and physical activity, alcohol and other drug abuse, and mental health. I encourage community members to join Healthy Oconto County 2018 in making a difference in Oconto County.”
Information about the initiative can be found at www.healthyocontocounty.info.
Oconto County captured its highest mark of 24th for the analysis of physical environment, which measures air pollution, drinking water violations, severe housing problems, long commutes and single drivers going to work.
The county scored lowest (58) on quality of life. This ranking takes into account factors such as poor mental health days and poor physical health days, which were both higher than the state’s outcome.
Oconto ranks near the middle for social and economic factors (33) and in the bottom half for health behaviors (50) and clinical care (57).
According to the 2015 rankings, the five healthiest counties in Wisconsin, starting with the most healthy, are Ozaukee, Pepin, Calumet, Florence and Kewaunee. The five counties in the poorest health, starting with the least healthy, are Menominee, Milwaukee, Forest, Washburn and Rusk.
“Since the County Health Rankings began in Wisconsin more than a decade ago, we’ve seen them serve as a rallying point for change,” said Karen Timberlake, director of UWPHI in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “Communities are using the rankings to inform their priorities as they work to improve health for all their residents.”
Nationally, this year’s rankings show the healthiest counties in each state have higher college attendance, fewer preventable hospital stays, and better access to parks and gyms than the least healthy counties.
The least healthy counties in each state have more smokers, more teen births and more alcohol-related car crash deaths.
Categories
