Immediate Release
February 17, 2010
Batavia, Ohio. A new report measuring the overall health of counties in every state across the country ranks the current health of Clermont County citizens as 32nd among Ohio’s 88 counties. The County Health Rankings report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute also measures key factors that impact a community’s health such as the quality of health care, individual behaviors, education, jobs, and the environment. “This report allows everyone to compare the overall health of their county with all other counties in their state,” said Clermont Health Commissioner Marty Lambert. Clermont County ranks 33rd when it comes to measuring overall health factors, but scored low for health behaviors. “Based on the report, there is good news and some not so good for Clermont County. Too many people are still smoking, drinking, and participating in risky sexual behavior; we also need to do better when it comes to eating properly and exercising.”
“We weren’t surprised when we saw the low ranking in the category for health behaviors,” said Lambert. “In 2009, the Clermont Coalition for Activity and Nutrition (Clermont CAN) released the Clermont County 2009 Health Needs Assessment which clearly showed that residents were significantly worse than state and national averages in binge drinking, lack of physical activity, smoking, and obesity rates.” The County Health Rankings indicate that 27 percent of adults living in the county smoke, 31 percent of adults are obese, 15 percent participate in binge drinking, and the teen birth rate and motor vehicle death crash rates are above the state average. “These are behaviors that we choose to do that directly impact our health,” she said. “This information will help us as we move forward in determining how to target our prevention programs.”
If you are interested in helping make Clermont County a healthier place to live and raise our families, you are invited to become part of Clermont CAN; a Clermont CAN retreat will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 to review the latest local data and establish a roadmap for a healthier future. If you are interested in becoming part of Clermont CAN, or want to participate in the upcoming retreat, contact the Clermont County General Health District at (513) 732-7499. The County Health Rankings report is available online at www.CountyHealthRankings.org; the Clermont County 2009 Health Needs Assessment report can be found on the Health District’s web site by clicking the Clermont CAN icon at www.ClermontHealthDistrict.org.
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For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Director Kathryn Lehr at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, klehr@co.clermont.oh.us.