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News Advisory
February 17, 2010
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New nationwide County Health Rankings include Minnesota Counties

Rankings by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin offer a county-by-county snapshot of how multiple factors influence health

Minnesota's counties are included in a report ranking the health of counties in all 50 states. The County Health Rankings, prepared by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, is the first report to rank the overall health of counties by using a standard formula to measure how healthy people are and how long they live.

Counties are ranked in two categories: health outcomes and health factors (also known as health determinants). Health outcomes include the rate of people dying before age 75, the percentage of people who report being in fair or poor health, and the rate of low-birth weight infants. Health factors include health behavior, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment. The rankings are designed to compare the health of counties within each state; they do not compare counties in one state with counties in another state.

"These rankings demonstrate that health happens where we live, learn, work and play. And much of what influences how healthy we are and how long we live happens outside the doctor's office," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "We hope the County Health Rankings spur all sectors – government, business, community and faith-based groups, education and public health – to work together on solutions that address barriers to good health and help all Americans lead healthier lives."

In Minnesota, the County Health Rankings are an additional tool that counties can use to examine their health, said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Sanne Magnan. "The County Health Rankings help shine a light on the wide range of factors that influence health," she said. "They provide one snapshot of the health of our communities and point out places where we're doing well and places where we can improve."

Local health departments in Minnesota already do extensive measurement of the health of their communities. Minnesota's Local Public Health Act requires local health departments to conduct a comprehensive assessment and planning process every five years in order to identify public health challenges and strategies for improving health. "Our local health departments already do an excellent job measuring the health of their populations," Magnan said. "This is one reason why Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the healthiest states in the nation."

The County Health Rankings are available for viewing at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

For a list of Minnesota's local health departments, see: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/ophp/system/administration/chb.cfm.