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Orange, Chatham score high marks in health

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Staff

By Taylor Sisk, Staff Writer

Feelin’ good, Orange County? According to a report just released by the Robert Wood Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, relatively speaking, you are – and Chathamites aren’t doing so bad either. The County Health Rankings report indicates that Orange is the second-healthiest county in the state, with Chatham checking in fourth.

The report ranks all counties in each of the 50 states in two categories: health factors – the sum of influences on the health of a county’s residents – and health outcomes – the actual health of those residents. Orange ranked first out of all 100 North Carolina counties in health factors and second in health outcomes (losing out to Wake County), while Chatham ranked 11th in health factors and fourth in health outcomes.

Robeson County ranked lowest in the state in health factors, Columbus in health outcomes.

Mortality (how long we live) and morbidity (how physically and mentally healthy we feel, as determined by surveys) were given equal weight in establishing health outcomes. Orange was second in mortality and fourth in morbidity. Chatham was ninth in mortality and second in morbidity.

Health factors were comprised of four categories: social and economic factors (education, employment, income, community safety and family and social support), health behaviors (tobacco use, diet and exercise, alcohol use and unsafe sex), clinical care (access to care and quality of care) and physical environment (environmental quality and built environment). Orange finished 32nd in physical environment and first in the three other categories. Chatham ranked eighth in social and economic factors, sixth in health behaviors, 48th in clinical care and 49th in physical environment.

Orange County had nine high-level air pollution-ozone days (as measured in 2005), as compared to a state average of four, which accounts for its low physical-environment ranking. Chatham’s poor showing in that category was due to slightly more air pollution-ozone days (six) than the average and relatively poor access to healthy foods.
Chatham County Public Health Director Holly Coleman pointed to the lack of grocery stores in communities such as Bear Creek and Goldston as a factor in Chatham scoring low in physical environment.

She also pointed out that while the county has fewer health care options than she would prefer, surrounding counties offer considerably more, which helps account for the county ranking higher in health outcomes than health factors.

“We’re a very diverse county, and we have health issues and disparities that we need to overcome,” Coleman said. “This [report] is just a snapshot in time. We still have challenges, but we’re pleased.”
Much of the data gathered for the report was collected four or more years ago, and Coleman said Chatham has made good progress recently on its health care concerns, pointing to the just-released 2009 Health of Chatham report, which indicated improvements in health education, teen pregnancy and recreation facilities.

While the County Health Rankings bring encouraging news for local health administrators, according to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, North Carolina ranks 36th in the nation in overall health factors.

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