New Rankings shed light on where Dunn County could improve health
PRINCETON, N.J. and MADISON, Wis. — Dunn County ranked 38th out of 72 counties for health outcomes and 30th for health factors, according to the seventh annual County Health Rankings, released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI). The Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
“The findings are consistent with the priorities identified in our most recent community health needs assessment and previous years’ assessments. Alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA), mental health, access to care, concerns about the environment including the ‘built’ environment, and health equity continue to impact citizens of Dunn County; persons living in poverty are impacted the most,” said Wendy MacDougall, health officer.
The Rankings are an easy-to-use snapshot comparing the health of nearly every county in the nation. The local-level data allows each state to see how its counties compare on more than 30 factors that influence health including education, housing, jobs, smoking, access to healthy food, and more.
According to the 2016 Rankings, the five healthiest counties in Wisconsin, starting with most healthy, are Ozaukee, Calumet, St. Croix, Pierce, and Pepin. The five counties in the poorest health, starting with least healthy, are Menominee, Milwaukee, Washburn, Forest, and Sawyer.
Dunn County ranks near the middle for health outcomes (38) and in the top half for health factors (30). Dunn ranks in the top half of Wisconsin counties for health behaviors (28) and social and economic factors (22). Dunn County ranks in the bottom half for clinical care (46) and in the bottom quarter for physical environment (57).
“The County Health Rankings show how important it is to examine all the conditions that impact well-being and can help families thrive,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO. “Communities around the nation are using the County Health Rankings to drive improvements in education, housing, job training, healthy food options, and more, as they work to build a Culture of Health.”
This year, the Rankings took a closer look at the differences in health between urban, rural, suburban, and smaller metro counties and found that:
- Rural counties not only have higher rates of premature death, but also nearly one in five rural counties saw rises in premature death rates over the past decade, while most urban counties have experienced consistent improvement.
- Rural counties have higher rates of smoking, obesity, child poverty, teen births, and higher numbers of uninsured adults than their urban counterparts.
- Large urban counties have lower smoking and obesity rates, fewer injury deaths, and more residents who attended some college.
- Large suburban counties have the lowest rates of childhood poverty and teen births.
The 2016 Rankings Key Findings Report highlights some new measures including residential segregation among blacks and whites, drug overdose deaths, and insufficient sleep and how they contribute to health. Learn more about those findings at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
“The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps highlight strengths and opportunities for improvement in the many factors that influence health, all across our state,” said Karen Timberlake, director of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. “There is no one solution to achieve our goal of longer, healthier lives for everyone. The annual Rankings release creates an opportunity for community leaders and residents to reflect on their progress, learn from those working on similar challenges in other communities, and recommit to focusing not just on health insurance coverage, healthy eating, and active living, but also, the social and economic drivers of health such as kindergarten readiness, family-supporting jobs, safe and affordable housing, and community connectedness.”
The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps tools, which include a database of evidence-informed approaches, personalized coaching, and a range of other resources, can assist communities in their efforts to improve health.
