Flathead state's 7th most healthy county
Flathead County is the seventh healthiest county in Montana according to a recently released study that looks at health factors, access to clinical care and other social and economic factors.
The 2013 rankings were released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute.
Gallatin was ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight year with the lowest obesity rate and one of the lowest smoking rates. Glacier, Lake and Lincoln counties were ranked near the bottom, 45th, 37th and 35th, respectively.
Flathead County’s ranking has improved since the study began, rising from a low of 11th overall.
“But we would like to be No. 1,” said Joe Russell, Public Health Officer at the Flathead County Health Department.
Russell says the county is working with local hospitals and is putting strategies in place to address some areas of concern noted in the rankings.
“There’s a lot we can still work on,” he said.
Social and economic factors such as education and poverty play a big role in the overall health of a community, Russell says. It’s one of the reason’s Gallatin County always ranks so high.
By comparison, the study shows Flathead County with an unemployment rate of 10.7 percent with 19 percent of children living in poverty. Gallatin County has an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent with 13 percent of children in poverty.
“It’s a highly educated community and their average income is pretty high,” he said. “People who are poor typically don’t belong to health clubs, and don’t have $1,200 to buy a mountain bike.”
“The fact is, we have impoverished people here and that doesn’t help our ranking.”
According to the study, the obesity and physical inactivity rate of Flathead residents has increased over the years, but the county still remains below the state and national benchmark level in both categories.
About 20 percent of adults in the county aged 20 and over report partaking in no leisure time physical activity, while 23 percent of adults report a BMI of 30 or higher.
Of adults 20 and older, 6 percent have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is an important marker for a range of health behaviors, the study notes. The percent of diabetic Medicare enrollees that receive proper screening is on the rise, now at 84 percent compared to about 75 percent in 2005.
One health factor studied shows that about 40 percent of all restaurants in the county are considered fast food, the fourth highest in the state. They study suggests access to fast food is correlated with a high prevalence of overweight, obesity and premature death.
About 18 percent of adults in the county drink excessively, which is below the state average but more than double the national benchmark. The county smoking rate of 17 percent is below the state average.
There were 231 cases of chlamydia reported in the county, fifth most in the state. Chlamydia incidence rates are associated with unsafe sexual activity, the study says.
The teen birth rate of 36 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 is on par with the state average, but above the national benchmark of 21 per 1,000 girls. The study suggests teen pregnancy significantly increases the risk of repeat pregnancy and of contracting a sexually transmitted infection.
Flathead County’s uninsured rate of 22 percent is double that of the national benchmark. Lack of health insurance coverage is a significant barrier to accessing needed health care, the study reports.
Montana Health Association president Hillary Hanson says the annual study provides counties with a good opportunity to see where they can improve.
“It gives us an opportunity to learn from others, as well,” she said. “If a county is doing something right, other counties can learn from them.”
The full report can be read online at www.countyhealthrankings.org