Wahkiakum ranks 24th in county health rankings

A new report released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks Wahkiakum County 24th among Washington’s 39 counties in the category of health outcomes, which measures overall health status.

The County Health Rankings compare counties within each state by using a standard formula to measure how healthy people are and how long they live. The report is intended to mobilize community leaders to learn what makes residents unhealthy and invest in programs and policies that improve health.

The report also ranks counties according to health factors, such as individual behavior, quality of health care, education and jobs, access to healthy foods, air quality and others. Wahkiakum County ranked 22nd in the health factors category.

“It’s easier for people to lead a healthy lifestyle when they live in a healthy community,” said Deputy Health Office Jennifer Vines, MD. “That includes places that have expanded early childhood education, enacted smoke-free laws, increased access to healthier foods, and created more opportunities for physical activity.”

“These county health rankings are an additional resource we can use to get a picture of overall health and the things that influence it,” stated Judy Bright, Director of Wahkiakum Health & Human Services. “It’s another way of looking at where we are doing well and where we can improve.”

The report can be found on line at http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/washington/wahkiakum.