JEFFERSON COUNTY—Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is excited to announce that our county has been ranked 12th out of 39 counties in Washington State for 2023 by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R). Health rankings are determined based on data gathered to assess several factors like health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. These factors influence our residents’ quality of life, which directly affect length of life.
Jefferson County health behaviors boast a very low percentage rate of physical inactivity for our county’s population, ages 18 and over. It was found that only 15% of this population reported participating in no physical activity outside of work in Jefferson County, compared to a statewide 18% and national average of 22%.
For clinical care, only 9% of people under the age of 65 did not have health insurance compared to a national average of 10%. Jefferson County also has more primary care physicians and mental health providers than the national ratio of population to provider.
For social and economic factors, an impressive 96% of Jefferson County adults ages 25 and over have a high school diploma or equivalent. This percentage is based on data obtained from 2017-2021.
Regarding the physical environment of our county, the air pollution is much lower than the statewide and national averages. Some other notable highlights include that Jefferson County falls well below the state and national average for the number of newly diagnosed chlamydia cases, and also has a higher than average life expectancy, coming in at 80.9, compared to the national average of 78.5.
Apple Martine, Jefferson County Public Health Director, was optimistic given the high ranking, noting that “Our community should be proud of this year’s ranking as progress is being made in so many categories. These numbers are a direct reflection of our community’s core values as well as highlight areas that we can improve.”
An alarming 22% of Jefferson County adults report binge or heavy drinking and in a 4-year period, 36% of motor vehicle crash deaths involved alcohol. Both of these statistics are higher than state and national averages.
All of the data gathered will be analyzed by JCPH and used as a baseline to identify areas that need improvement and how our department can address these issues. To see the full county snapshot, visit: www.countyhealthrankings.org
If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol or addiction, SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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Always Working for a Safer & Healthier Jefferson County