Today’s release of the 2015 County Health Rankings by University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation showed Allen County with an Overall Health Outcome Ranking of 87 out of 101 Kansas Counties reporting. This is a higher rank than our 79th place 2014 Ranking. A lower ranking would indicate relative improvement in health compared to other counties. So Thrive is naturally disappointed.

The County Health Rankings is an ambitious tool that seeks to identify meaningful measures of progress on a county-level for every community in America. Having access to local data is first step required in order to apply evidence based practices and utilize new resources in efficient ways. From 2011 through 2014 Allen County saw steady, and at times dramatic, progress in climbing up from the bottom of the Rankings among Kansas counties. During those years we raised from 94th to 79th among Kansas Counties in terms of overall health outcomes. While we are proud this achievement we are always aware that our rankings ultimately result from a complex interplay between behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, physical activity and nutrition; a built environment that supports good health choices; quality medical care for acute illness and the management of chronic illness; as well as socio-economic factors such as income, education and employment.

In this complex mixture there are many factors beyond a community’s immediate control. Other factors can, and sometimes have been addressed, but there are significant lags in data collection. Since 2012 our community has built the 6.5 mile Southwind Rail Trail, constructed a dog park, and has now under construction a disc golf course and the multi-use Lehigh Portland Trails. Yet the Ranking use 2010-2012 data to measure access to exercise opportunities and reports that no resources are available in our community. Similarly an under-count of primary care physicians was reported two years ago yet corrected figures are not yet used by the Rankings.

This does not mean that we should disregard the Rankings. They rough-out trends and show progress over the years. It does mean that smooth unbroken progress should not be expected to be seen from year to year. Changing our Health Rankings and the underlying health conditions of Allen County residents is a commitment we are in for the long haul.

Learn More: 2015 Allen County Health Ranking