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In the first-of-a-kind ranking of the health status of Kansas’ 105 counties, Pratt comes in at 73 and ranks far below the average (87th) for access to health care.
Someone has to be above and someone has to be below average, the study author concluded; the challenge for a community is to discuss ways to improve the general health of its people.
“People can be healthy just about any place in Kansas. Communities can be healthy just about any place in Kansas,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, chief author of the report by the Kansas Health Institute. “It would be foolish for every place to try to imitate the healthiest county (Gove). See what is specific in your county and see what opportunities you have for improvement.”
The rankings were based on a similar project started in 2003 by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Researchers there have repeated the rankings every year since and say the primary value is in provoking public awareness and discussion of how to improve the general health of Wisconsin residents.
Researchers looked at three health outcomes: low birth weight, self-reports of general health status, and premature mortality (deaths that occur before age 75). They also studied determinants, factors not immediately health-related but shown to profoundly affect health, Pezzino said.
Analysis of data revealed Pratt County’s top three strengths: low unemployment rate, high graduation rate and low rate for years of life lost, all ranked in the top third among counties.
Top three challenges were: did not receive needed health care (102nd), low birth weight (99th) and low fruit and vegetable consumption (96th).
Researchers did not collect their own data, Pezzino said, but relied on information already available from other reports, primarily from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. In order to achieve a good sample for study, in rural counties several years may have been considered together, so some of the information is several years old.
Pezzino also noted a high rate of smoking and high rate of smoking during pregnancy in Pratt County, contributors to a low birth weight.
“Clearly you have some issues you can address in the community in terms of education,” he said.
In the study, Pezzino wrote, “Many people do not realize that the factors that most powerfully influence our health have little to do with health care provided in doctors’ offices and hospitals.
There could be many reasons why Pratt County people say they do not get the health care they need, in spite of the presence of a regional medical center, three family practitioners, four internal medicine physicians and specialists either in residence or seeing patients on a regular schedule.
Pezzino listed lack of health insurance, limited access to transportation or lack of education as possibilities, but stressed that it the community’s job to find solutions.
In the first-of-a-kind ranking of the health status of Kansas’ 105 counties, Pratt comes in at 73 and ranks far below the average (87th) for access to health care.
Someone has to be above and someone has to be below average, the study author concluded; the challenge for a community is to discuss ways to improve the general health of its people.
“People can be healthy just about any place in Kansas. Communities can be healthy just about any place in Kansas,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, chief author of the report by the Kansas Health Institute. “It would be foolish for every place to try to imitate the healthiest county (Gove). See what is specific in your county and see what opportunities you have for improvement.”
The rankings were based on a similar project started in 2003 by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Researchers there have repeated the rankings every year since and say the primary value is in provoking public awareness and discussion of how to improve the general health of Wisconsin residents.
Researchers looked at three health outcomes: low birth weight, self-reports of general health status, and premature mortality (deaths that occur before age 75). They also studied determinants, factors not immediately health-related but shown to profoundly affect health, Pezzino said.
Analysis of data revealed Pratt County’s top three strengths: low unemployment rate, high graduation rate and low rate for years of life lost, all ranked in the top third among counties.
Top three challenges were: did not receive needed health care (102nd), low birth weight (99th) and low fruit and vegetable consumption (96th).
Researchers did not collect their own data, Pezzino said, but relied on information already available from other reports, primarily from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. In order to achieve a good sample for study, in rural counties several years may have been considered together, so some of the information is several years old.
Pezzino also noted a high rate of smoking and high rate of smoking during pregnancy in Pratt County, contributors to a low birth weight.
“Clearly you have some issues you can address in the community in terms of education,” he said.
In the study, Pezzino wrote, “Many people do not realize that the factors that most powerfully influence our health have little to do with health care provided in doctors’ offices and hospitals.
There could be many reasons why Pratt County people say they do not get the health care they need, in spite of the presence of a regional medical center, three family practitioners, four internal medicine physicians and specialists either in residence or seeing patients on a regular schedule.
Pezzino listed lack of health insurance, limited access to transportation or lack of education as possibilities, but stressed that it the community’s job to find solutions.
“This (report findings) should not be considered as a criticism of practitioners or facilities,” he emphasized.
Pratt County ranked better on overall determinants (65th), which included health care, health behaviors, socioeconomic factors and physical environment, than it did on outcomes (80th).
Generally speaking, if the determinants ranking is better than the outcomes ranking, it means the health of a county’s population is likely to improve over time, study authors concluded.
The report is available at www.khi.org.
Area Rankings
Health rankings in the area
Kiowa Co. 11
Edwards Co. 29
Barber Co. 45
Stafford Co. 55
Kingman Co. 57
Reno Co. 69
Pratt Co. 73
