HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Ottawa County ranks 1st out of 83 counties in Michigan in Health Outcomes according to the 2017 County Health Rankings.
Every year the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute releases the rankings that show where we live matter to health and how good health is influenced by many factors beyond medical care.
Kristina Wieghmink is Communications Specialist for the Ottawa County Department of Public Health and says programs like the Community Health Improvement Plan contribute to Ottawa County coming in first place.
“We have a lower overall mortality rate, lower adult smoking rate,our teen birth rate is lower and we have more physically active people. We also have lower unemployment rate and lower injury death. We are so fortunate in Ottawa County to have so many community members and organizations working together to really work toward better health outcomes.
Wieghmink credits the Community Health Improvement Plan for coming at number one in the rankings.It was created in 2015 with a task force from United Way, County Hospitals and Community Mental Health and the Health Department.
Areas for improvement according to the rankings include adult obesity, excessive drinking, sexually transmitted infections with chlamydia reported as the highest reportable disease. Also the ratio to primary care physicians, dentists and mental health providers and physical environment continues to be the lowest sub-ranking.
Weighmink says a key area in the community health improvement plan is addressing obesity. A plan called Ottawa Pathways to Better Health helps individuals with two chronic conditions such as obesity. They treat the individual as opposed to the condition.
Several organizations are part of the such as the ROADD Coalition (Reducing Ottawa Area Drunk Driving) that can help with alcohol abuse. For sexually transmitted diseases, the Ottawa County Health Department has the WEAR ONE Program where condoms are distributed throughout the county so that people have easier access to prevention. They also include educational materials.
