LIMA — Putnam and Auglaize Counties continue to be among the healthiest in the state while Allen County saw a noticeable decline, according to the latest Ohio county health rankings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
For the second year in a row, Putnam County ranked third overall among Ohio counties for overall health, while Auglaize County improved from 11th in 2016 to ninth this year. Allen County, however, continued its decline from 35th in 2015 to 36th last year to 46th this year.
The rankings took a wide variety of factors into account, looking at housing issues, access to healthy food, crime and homicide rates and even length of commutes, along with more typical factors such as smoking and obesity rates.
“The County Health Rankings show us that where people live plays a key role in how long and how well they live,” foundation president Risa Lavizzo-Mourey said. “The rankings allow local leaders to clearly see and prioritize the challenges they face.”
Putnam County Health Commissioner Kim Rieman said Putnam County ranked high in a variety of socioeconomic factors, such as high school graduation and unemployment percentages, factors that can help increase the overall health of a community.
“The social aspects of people’s lives are important in determining how healthy they are,” she said. “When they look at people feeling like they have social support, they feel safe in their neighborhoods and feel like they live in a safe environment, that all plays a role in people’s health, as well.”
Allen County Public Health Director of Health Planning Monica Harnish emphasized that while the numbers for Allen County are down, some of the information used in determining those rankings is not entirely up to date.
“For example, looking at premature death, the data they’re looking at is from 2012 to 2014,” she said. “The quality of life data is coming from 2015.”
While Allen County continues to rank poorly in rankings regarding sexually transmitted diseases, single-parent households and violent crime, there are some positives trends being seen in the health of the county, as well, according to Harnish.
“We have more school-based clinics, which is great to see, with Elida and Bath, along with Lima Senior,” she said. “Our community collaboration is also a real strength, and that will have an effect into the future, as well.”
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