[Vision2020] The Least Healthy County in Idaho

[Kenneth Marcy]

The Least Healthy County in Each State

*http://tinyurl.com/qc434zb*

With the ongoing U.S. economic recovery and implementation of the 
Affordable Care Act, health insurance coverage rates among Americans 
have increased significantly. Americans may expect health outcomes to 
improve as well. Despite the general positive trend in health care, 
there is still great variation in the health of residents among states 
and even within states.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed county-level health rankings from County Health 
Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of 
Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. Rankings are based 
on overall health outcomes, a weighted composite of length of life, 
quality of life, and overall health factors. The health factors 
component is a weighted composite of healthy behaviors, clinical care, 
social and economic factors, and physical environment measures. These 
are the least healthy counties in each state.

*Benewah County, Idaho
 > Pct. without health insurance:* 21.7%
*> Pct. food insecure:* 17.7%
*> Obesity rate:* 27.3%
*> 2013 unemployment rate:* 10.5%

Poor health habits and the lack of affordable health care contributed to 
Benewah County’s ranking as the least healthy county in Idaho. In 
addition to an obesity rate slightly higher than the national rate, 
about 26.3% of Benewah residents smoked compared with 16.5% of all Idaho 
residents and 20.0% of all Americans. At the same time, 23.7% of Benewah 
residents were physically inactive in the past month, a higher 
proportion than both the state and the nation. More than 21% of Benewah 
residents could not afford to see a doctor compared with 15.7% statewide.

==

There is more to the article at the link: *http://tinyurl.com/qc434zb


Ken

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