April 28, 2022
Article provided by Fairfield County Health Department
Hannah Halfhill, Public Information Officer

The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has released their 2022 County Health Rankings report for Ohio.

Fairfield County was ranked among the healthiest 25% of counties in Ohio in both Health Outcomes, at 15th, and Health Factors, at 14th.  Health Outcomes include measures related to length and quality of life, while Health Factors include health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment in the county.

According to Fairfield County Health Commissioner, Joe Ebel, “The County Health Rankings provide an easy way to compare our health factors and outcomes to other communities across the state.” The Fairfield County Health Department is also conducting a more comprehensive local Community Health Assessment which begins in May, with mailers going to 3,000 households across the county.

Highlights from the 2022 report include 8% of Fairfield County children live in poverty, compared to the state rate of 17% and Years of Potential Life Lost, and indicator of premature death, of 7,000, compared to the state rate of 8,700.

Areas of concern include an adult smoking rate of 21%, well above the national average of 12.5%, and an adult obesity rate of 38%, which is higher than the state average of 35%.

Ebel added, “The information in the County Health Rankings and our local Community Health Assessment, help the public health system partners in the county identify health needs and develop programs and interventions to improve our overall health.”

The full 2022 County Health Rankings report can be viewed at www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings