JACKSON COUNTY, Mich. — How well and how long can Jackson Countyresidents expect to live? The release of the 2019 County Health Rankings & Roadmap(CHRR) report, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, helps us understandwhat factors influence the health of our community and what areas we need to explore to continue to make Jackson County a healthier place to live, learn, work, and play.
Out of 83 Michigan Counties, the 2019 CHRR ranks Jackson 60th for Health Outcomes and53rd for Health Factors. Both rankings are poorer than the 2017 and 2018 rankings. HealthOutcomes reflect length of life, which includes how many potential years of life was lost by Jackson residents because of death before age 75, as well as the quality of life, whichconsiders mental health, physical health and the percent of live births with low birthweight.
The Health Factors within the County Health Rankings that influence our overall healthranking show us where Jackson County must continue to focus its health improvementefforts:
| Ø Adult smoking: | Ø 19% | Ø (Current adult smokers) |
| Ø Adult obesity: | Ø 37% | Ø (Adults reporting greater than 30 on Body Mass Index) |
| Ø Physical inactivity: | Ø 23% | Ø (Adults aged 20-plus reporting no leisure-time physicalactivity) |
| Ø Access to exercise opportunities: | Ø 73% | Ø (% of population with adequate access to locations forphysical activity) |
| Ø Excessive drinking: | Ø 21% | Ø (Adults reporting binge or heavy drinking) |
| Ø Alcohol-impaired driving deaths: | Ø 31% | Ø (Driving deaths with alcohol involvement) |
Ø Sexually transmitted Ø infections: | Ø 572.4 | Ø (Number of newly diagnosed chlamydia cases per100,000 population, including state prison population) |
| Ø Teen births: | Ø 28 | Ø (Number of births per 1,000 female population ages15-19) |
Important steps have been taken to improve the health of our community. The 2019 CHRR shows our strengths in the following areas:
- A reduction in the number of current adult smokers
- An increase in those with adequate access to locations for physical activity
- A decrease in teen births
- A decrease in those who are uninsured
- A decrease in preventable hospital stays
- Less particulate matter in the air, meaning cleaner air to breath
Unfortunately, the percentage of our residents who report being over 30 on the Body Mass Index has increased, as has the number of sexually transmitted infections. Likewise, more children are living in poverty than previous years, and violent crimes have increased since the last report.
Sharing some key findings from the 2019 CHRR report provides us with an opportunity tomake all Jackson County residents and community leaders aware of our health status sothat we can collaborate and mobilize our community to take action. We need to continueto implement programs and policy changes to improve in Jackson County. Health iseveryone's responsibility. Working together, we can make Jackson County a healthierplace to live, learn, work and play.
"The report validates much that we already know, and help us sustain the work we are engaged in across many sectors of the community. All of our data indicate that reducing tobacco use, promoting physical activity across the lifespan, reducing excessive drinking, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections are high priorities. We use the Rankings as one tool in our toolbox to support existing and new plans for better community health. We know there are many factors beyond medical care that influence health. Everyone in our community has a stake in being healthy. Working together, we can improve the health of Jackson County," said Richard Thoune, Health Officer.
For more information on the health status of Jackson County please visitwww.countyhealthrankings.org [countyhealthrankings.org]or call Richard Thoune, HealthOfficer, Jackson County Health Department, at 517.768.1658 or 517. 817. 7072.
