The annual ranking of the overall health of nearly every county in the United States is out today, and Indiana County falls solidly in the bottom half of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The study is done each year by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
There are two main categories. Overall, Indiana County ranks 46th in the state in Health Outcomes and 64th in Health Factors.
In Health Outcomes, the county is 36th in the rate of premature deaths and 50th in quality of life, which includes the number of residents in poor or fait health, the number of poor physical and mental health days , and low birth weight.
In Health Factors, Indiana County is 65th out of 67 in behaviors, which includes conduct such as adult smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive drinking. The biggest problem areas in that category are access to exercise opportunities and alcohol-impaired driving deaths.
The county is 65th in clinical care, with the top problems being a disparity in primary care physicians, dentists, mental health providers, and preventable hospital stays.
Indiana County is 59th in social and economic opportunities, struggling with the number of children living in poverty and deaths from injuries.
We are 47th in physical environment, although in most categories we’re very near the state average in categories such as air pollution, drinking water violations, housing, and commutes to work.
Josh Widdowson will be talking with Giridhar Mallya, Senior Policy Officer with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, following the 9 AM news today on Indiana In the Morning.
