by Lauren Haynes
The factors that influence population health are multi-faceted, to make matters even more complex these factors are not mutually exclusive, many influence one another and together have a compounded effect on the health of individuals and the communities in which they live. Thus, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation worked with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to get a more accurate picture of health in counties throughout the United States. They have created a digital repository of county performance on various health factors and rank the counties in each state according to their performance.
Ranking System. 2014 County Health Rankings.
This effort, however, is not just to compare how “healthy” counties are; it is a self-proclaimed effort to “build a culture of health, county by county.”
But how exactly does reporting “health outcomes” and “health factors” and then ranking of county performance “work to “build a culture of health?” From my explorations on this site it is quite evident that the data reporting and ranking are only one part of this program. Viewers of this data are encouraged to “use ranks as a tool:”
Ranks are great for garnering attention, simplifying a lot of complex data, and making comparisons between one community and another at a point in time—but they shouldn’t be used alone to measure a single community’s progress. Rather, look at them as one tool among many. Because ranks are relative, they aren’t as helpful in isolation — your county’s rank depends not only on what is happening in your county, but also on what happens in all the other counties in your state. In fact, if every county in a state improved its health, their ranks would all stay the same. So look for ranks to inform your progress measurement, not drive it.
This one tool “among many” is provided along with easily digestible explanations [with source citations] regarding why each factor is important to health and what measurement strategy was used to quantify each factor along with suggested policies and programs that could be implemented to improve community health with regards to that factor.
By providing this information, in addition to making demographic information available for each county, these numbers and rankings are given a necessary context.
Furthermore, the “Roadmaps” portion of the program empowers community members to take action in order to effectively enact positive change in their communities. A wealth of information is provided in this section under two major headings: “What can I do?” and “What can I learn from others?”
“What can I do?” details the steps in the “Action Cycle” and provides tips for implementing “evidence-informed policies, programs, and system changes” in the community; this section provides guidance for those that want to affect change while also managing their expectations by encouraging them to “be realistic about how quickly you can move the needle – it will take time for your efforts to improve your health outcomes.”
Action Cycle. 2014 County Health Rankings.
“What can I learn from others?” has information about community grants, a list of national partners, stories from communities across the country working on health improvement efforts, a showcase of community projects, and information about the RWJF Culture of Health Prize awarded annually to honor outstanding community efforts and partnerships working to help people live healthier lives.
Conclusion: Finally clicking on one of the numerous ads floating around my Facebook page for the “County Health Rankings and Roadmaps” site was the best decision EVER. This is a fantastic resource; this collection of data with appropriate supporting information effectively works to raise awareness, inspire action, and influence locally-driven change.
Check it out! Visit http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/.
livingLAH 