Moreover, families who live in Chesapeake enjoy better health than families who live in Norfolk.
The report, released every year, ranks American towns by a compendium of health related factors.
The Foundation measures four types of health factors: health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic, and physical environment factors. Genetics and biology are excluded from the analysis.
Health Rankings of Local Cities
|
Chesapeake
|
40
|
|
Hampton
|
77
|
|
Newport News
|
80
|
|
Norfolk
|
107
|
|
Portsmouth
|
118
|
|
Suffolk
|
66
|
|
Virginia Beach
|
34 |
The reports can be accessed here.
You can also compare your town with another town within the state. For example, here is a comparison of Norfolk and Virginia Beach by the Foundation’s factors.
| Virginia | Norfolk | Va Beach | |
| Health Outcomes | 107 | 34 | |
| Mortality | 111 | 22 | |
| Premature death | 6,362 | 9,491 | 5,718 |
| Morbidity | 89 | 55 | |
| Poor or fair health | 14% | 15% | 13% |
| Poor physical health days | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Poor mental health days | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
| Low birthweight | 8.30% | 10.70% | 8.10% |
| Health Factors | 119 | 25 | |
| Health Behaviors | 125 | 41 | |
| Adult smoking | 18% | 26% | 19% |
| Adult obesity | 28% | 33% | 27% |
| Physical inactivity | 24% | 26% | 24% |
| Excessive drinking | 16% | 19% | 22% |
| Motor vehicle crash death rate | 11 | 7 | 8 |
| Sexually transmitted infections | 385 | 1,215 | 414 |
| Teen birth rate | 32 | 55 | 30 |
| Clinical Care | 74 | 29 | |
| Uninsured | 15% | 18% | 14% |
| Primary care physicians | 1,356:1 | 1,185:1 | 1,299:1 |
| Dentists | 1,811:1 | 1,691:1 | 1,562:1 |
| Preventable hospital stays | 58 | 62 | 54 |
| Diabetic screening | 86% | 81% | 84% |
| Mammography screening | 66% | 68% | 66% |
| Social & Economic Factors | 122 | 27 | |
| High school graduation | 88% | 77% | 87% |
| Some college | 67% | 61% | 73% |
| Unemployment | 6.20% | 8.40% | 6.00% |
| Children in poverty | 16% | 28% | 13% |
| Inadequate social support | 18% | 22% | 17% |
| Children in single-parent households | 30% | 51% | 31% |
| Violent crime rate | 233 | 716 | 212 |
| Physical Environment | 55 | 27 | |
| Daily fine particulate matter | 12.5 | 12.3 | 12.3 |
| Drinking water safety | 8% | ||
| Access to recreational facilities | 10 | 8 | 11 |
| Limited access to healthy foods | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Fast food restaurants | 50% | 51% | 48% |
Note: The report does not rank states.
hmm, there seems to be a correlation between health and income. I wonder if health creates the opportunity for wealth, or if wealth creates the opportunity for health. Probably a little of both.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time in the history of man we have a counrty where the primary health concerns of the poor is obesity. Enough said.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time seeing the connection between poverty and obesity - I believe it needs to be education on cooking healthy, economical meals (please stay away from the cheap fast food joints), and getting exercise - walking is cheap, and is recognized as a healthy form of exercise.
ReplyDeleteThe connection between poverty and obesity is as clear as day. For one dollar you can get 50 chocolate cookies or single carrot. People often ask How To Tighten Skin and I say eat more natural foods!
ReplyDelete