Kingfisher County ranks well in health report | Local News | enidnews.com

Recently released County Health Rankings for 2016 ranked Northwest Oklahoma above several counties in the state, with Kingfisher County ranking No. The report was created in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

aThe Rankings are unique in their ability to measure the current overall health of nearly every county in all 50 states,a according to the report. Communities use the Rankings to help identify issues and opportunities for local health improvement, as well as to garner support for initiatives among government agencies, health care providers, community organizations, business leaders, policy makers, and the public.a

Margaret Watkins, public health education for Garfield, Grant, Major and Alfalfa counties, said the rankings take a closer look at differences in health between urban, rural, suburban and smaller metro communities, finding several items.

aRural counties not only have higher rates of premature death, but also nearly 1 in 5 rural counties saw rises in premature death rates over the past decade, while most urban counties have experienced consistent improvement,a Watkins said in a written statement. aRural counties have higher rates of smoking, obesity, child poverty, teen births and higher numbers of uninsured adults than their urban counterparts.a

The report also ranked counties by overall health outcomes, which is an equal weighting of length and quality of life, area counties ranked:

a Kingfisher County ranked No. 62.

The report also provided rankings by health factors, which includes health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment.A The ranking included factors like adult smoking rates, premature death, graduation rates, primary care physicians and other factors.

The report ranks area counties as follows:

a Kingfisher County ranked No. 40.

Watkins said even though Oklahoma ranks low in national comparisons, county health rankings help the area see how itas doing on a regional level.

aGarfield County Health Department has a number of initiatives underway to expand health opportunities for residents, including the aChildren Firsta program to help new moms, aReach out and Reada to improve child and health literacy, and joint efforts with health care providers and schools to ensure all children have their state required vaccinations,a she said. aThe staff at Garfield County Health Department are committed to engaging in community partnerships and programs aimed at improving health such as the Garfield County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, Garfield County Micronesian Coalition, and the Garfield County Drug and Alcohol Coalition.a

Watkins said the rankings data will help the department drive improvements in certain areas while building a culture of healthy livings.

For the full report, visit www.countyhealthrankings.org.