CONTACTS: Kellie Coffey, Public Information Officer Ph: 828-695-5772
                     Kelly Isenhour, Assistant Health Director Ph: 828-695-5177

Catawba County is among the healthiest areas in North Carolina according to a new report released on February 17th 2010 by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The County Health Rankings are the first to rank the overall health of the counties in all 50 states – more than 3,000 total – by using a standard formula to measure how healthy people are and how long they live.

Catawba County was ranked 12th overall for health factors which includes health behaviors, access to and quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment. They are also ranked 18th overall for health outcomes which measures the length of quality of life in an area. Wake County was ranked as the healthiest in North Carolina.

“This report shows us that there are big differences in overall health across North Carolina counties, due to many factors, ranging from individual behavior to quality of health care, to education and jobs, to access to healthy foods, and to quality of the air,” says Patrick Remington, MD, MPH, Associate Dean for Public Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “For the first time, every person can compare the overall health of their county to the health of other counties in North Carolina, and also see where the state needs to improve.”

“We are very pleased to see that Catawba County is among the healthiest in the state but understand that there are many ways that we can work to increase our ranking for the future,” described Doug Urland, Catawba County Public Health Director. “The study validates the efforts of many individuals and groups in our community that are already working hard to address health issues in our county.”

One local coalition engaged in local health concerns is Catawba County Health Partners (CCHP). CCHP, a Certified Healthy Carolinians Partnership and housed within Catawba County Public Health, is organized to enhance the quality of life for all people in Catawba County. Health Partners currently focuses on four health priorities: Access to Healthcare, Childhood Obesity, Substance Abuse, and Cancer. Members of Health Partners come from all segments of the community, including education, medical, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, the faith community, mental health, social services, public health, local business, parents and youth. To learn more about CCHP and how you could get involved please visit www.catawbacountyhealthpartners.org.

The online report, available at www.countyhealthrankings.org, includes a snapshot of each county in North Carolina with a color-coded map comparing each county’s overall health ranking. Researchers used five measures to assess the level of overall health or “health outcomes” for North Carolina by county: the rate of people dying before age 75, the percent of people who report being in fair or poor health, the numbers of days people report being in poor physical and poor mental health, and the rate of low-birthweight infants.

The report then looks at factors that affect people’s health within four categories: health behavior, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. Among the many health factors they looked included rates of adult smoking, adult obesity, binge drinking, and teenage pregnancy; the number of uninsured adults, availability of primary care providers, and preventable hospital stays; rates of high school graduation, number of children in poverty, access to healthy foods, air pollution levels, and liquor store density.

“These rankings demonstrate that health happens where we live, learn, work, and play. And much of what influences how healthy we are and how long we live happens outside the doctor’s office,” says Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We hope the County Health Rankings spur all sectors – government, business, community and faith-based groups, education and public health – to work together on solutions that address barriers to good health and help all Americans lead healthier lives.”

The University of Wisconsin’s Remington says that “It’s easier for people to lead a healthy lifestyle when they live in a healthy community – such as one that has expanded early childhood education, enacted smoke-free laws, increased access to healthier foods, or created more opportunities for physical activity. We hope this report can mobilize community leaders to learn what is making their residents unhealthy and take action to invest in programs and policy changes that improve health,” he adds.

For more information, please visit www.countyhealthrankings.org.