Clinton County continues to have some of the healthiest residents in Michigan according to the annual County Health Rankings, released today by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
According to this year’s Rankings, Clinton County ranks 3rd out of 82 Michigan counties in health outcomes and 4th out of 82 in health factors. The Rankings measure two types of health outcomes to represent how healthy each county is: how long people live (mortality), and how healthy people are (morbidity).
Many different critical health factors, which influence how long and how well people live, are measured, including:
-Adult smoking
-Education rates
-Adult obesity
-Air pollution levels
-Access to healthy foods
-Community safety
-Teenage births
-Children in poverty
-Number of uninsured adults
– Income levels
-Preventable hospital stays
-Access to medical care
Clinton County was ranked 8th in the health factors category last year, and improved to 4th because of big improvements in the physical environment. Residents of Clinton County know the community has been working hard to increase green space, and this was picked up in the rankings, which noted that more people in the County have access to recreational facilities. In addition, the Rankings noted there is more access to healthy food in the County, including healthier fare in restaurants. According to the Rankings, Clinton County is the best county in the State in terms of social and economic factors like education, freedom from poverty and public safety.
In its third year, the Rankings is the most comprehensive report of its kind to rank overall health.
It shows us that much of what influences our health happens outside of the doctor’s office and that where we live, learn, work and play has a big role in determining how healthy we are and how well and long we live.
This unique tool is increasingly being used by community leaders to help measure where its residents stand on factors that influence health compared to other counties, and to identify challenges and take action to improve residents’ health.
The Rankings are available for everyone to see at www.countyhealthrankings.org/.