MAYVILLE – Residents in Chautauqua County continue to be less healthy than others living across New York State.
Last Friday the results of the 2018 health rankings for all counties in the United States were released, using information compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Among the 62 counties in New York State, Chautauqua County was ranked 58th in the category of Health Outcomes and 57th in the category of Health Factors.
The figures are worse than last year’s rankings, when the county finished at 54th for Health Outcomes and 48th for Health Factors.
In a media release, County Health and Human Services director Christine Schuyler said that her office has known for some time that there is much work to be done to improve health in the County, but the latest data and rankings reinforces the need for community action to improve health behaviors such as tobacco use, nutrition, and physical activity.
Schuyler added that the most recent CDC surveys indicate that Chautauqua County has the highest adult smoking rate and adult obesity rate in New York State.
The Health Outcomes category focuses on mortality (death) and morbidity (illness) and looks at factors such as premature death, number of poor physical and mental health days, and occurrence of low birth weight among babies.
In the Health Behaviors subcategory, Chautauqua County ranked as 62 out of 62 counties, largely due to 24 percent of the adult population who smokes, along with 33 percent of the population that is obese.
Chautauqua County’s best ranking was seen in the Physical Environment subcategory. The county ranked Number 13 out of the 62 counties in that subcategory, which was affected most by the absence of any major public water violations.
As a snapshot of Chautauqua County, the 2018 report says:
- 24% of adults smoke, compared to 14% statewide.
- 33% of adults are obese, compared to 25% statewide.
- Premature death (measured as years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population) – 7,200 years compared to 5,300 years statewide.
- 79% of adults have access to exercise opportunities, compared to 93% statewide.
- 33% of alcohol impaired driving deaths, compared to 22% statewide.
- 38% of children are raised in a single-parent household, compared to 35% statewide.
- 29% of children live in poverty, compared to 21% statewide.
- 81% of people drive to work alone, compared to 53% statewide.
- 19% of people who drive alone have a long commute, compared to 37% statewide.
- 9 days with high levels of particulate matter in the air (air pollution), compared to 8.6 days statewide
- 7% uninsured, compared to 8% statewide.
- The ratio of patients to primary care providers was 1,740:1, compared to 1,200:1 statewide.
- The ratio of patients to dentists was 1,750:1, compared to 1,240:1 statewide.
- The ratio of patients to mental health providers was 710:1, compared to 390:1 statewide.
- 68% mammography screening rate, compared to 62% statewide.
- 8.0% of babies are low birthweight, compared to 8.0% statewide.
- 29 teen births per 1,000 females aged 15-19, compared to 18 statewide.
- 377.9 cases of Chlamydia (sexually transmitted disease) per 100,000 population, compared to 524.7 statewide.
- 83% graduate from high school, compared to 79% statewide.
- 5.8% unemployment rate, compared to 4.8% statewide.
- 232 violent crime rate per 100,000 population, compared to 394 statewide.
- 64 injury death rate per 100,000 population, compared to 46 statewide.
The Chautauqua County Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan update for 2016-2018 are available online at chautauqua.ny.us.
The online County Health Rankings report is available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
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