Common Ground Health is launching its popular County Health Profiles in a new digital format that will make updates easier and more frequent.
The profiles share county-specific data on measures ranging from health outcomes by ZIP code to indicators of stress and mental and emotional health. The updated profiles now include data from the 2018 My Health Story survey, which delved into access to care and perceptions of social factors that influence health. The profiles give insight into the roots of health equities.
“The County Health Profiles have long provided a snapshot of how counties are doing on chronic disease and early death, but thanks to our My Health Story survey, we have been able to dig in to some of the forces driving those outcomes,” said Wade Norwood, CEO of Common Ground. “Our new data around food and housing insecurity, stress, mental and emotional health can help us find strategies to improve health and address poverty throughout our region.”
Common Ground last produced the County Health Profiles in 2017.
“The profiles are some of the files most frequently downloaded from our website,” said Amie Kulak, director of analytics for Common Ground. “Producing one report of this nature is a heavy lift, but our staff went above and beyond by creating nine customized reports.”
Kulak commended staff’s innovative thinking, led by Health Planning Research Analyst Catie Kunecki, for producing the profiles in a digital format that still prints on a standard sized piece of paper for hard copy distribution.
“This print-on-demand shift allows us to be more eco-conscious and to provide updates more frequently,” Kulak said.
Some key findings from the profiles include:
(Statistics below are based on surveys conducted in 2018 and earlier, and do not reflect outcomes and disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Chemung County: 38.6 percent of residents say their doctor has diagnosed them with high blood pressure. For individuals with hypertension, controlling high blood pressure with medication and lifestyle change is critical to avoiding complications such as heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
Livingston County: Life expectancies vary by 16.5 years between ZIP codes, ranging from 84.3 years (the highest) in zip code 14545 to 67.8 years (the lowest) in ZIP code 14836.
Where you live can affect your health, health behaviors and health outcomes.
Monroe County: 14.7% of residents are living in poverty. Research has shown that poverty is associated with worse health outcomes and shorter life expectancies.
Ontario County: 28.6% of adults reported housing insecurity in the past month. Residents struggling with housing insecurity may experience high rates of stress, which can affect physical and mental health.
Schuyler County: 5.4% of the labor force is unemployed. Areas with higher rates of unemployment may experience higher rates of poverty and worse health outcomes.
Seneca County: 26.3% of adults reported experiencing food insecurity in the past month. Neighborhoods with lower access to nutritious foods often have higher rates of food insecurity.
Steuben County: 20% of adults reported their life is very stressful, including feeling stress around affording medical care, food, housing and more. Socioeconomic burdens can lead to worsened mental health.
Wayne County: 29.1% of the population is living with a disability. People with disabilities may also struggle with poverty, because disabilities may affect a person’s ability to earn an income.
Yates County: 67.5% of respondents said they participated in leisure time physical activity in the past 30 days. Lower rates of physical activity can are often linked to adverse health outcomes.
View the full county health profiles here.