Write a commentThe following is a letter from Jiancheng Huang, Director of Public Health for Oswego County Health Department:
Typically, we review the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute’s report of annual County Health Rankings in March. As we know, this is not a typical year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year we are reviewing the report in August.
The County Health Rankings and Roadmaps represent a snapshot of our county’s health status. The rankings show us trends over time and give us comparisons to other counties in the state. Overall, the county’s health improvements are on the right track of moving upward. Reviewing the 2020 rankings report, we see that Oswego County has made continuous progress, with some setbacks.
The Health Rankings divide health status into two measures: health outcomes and health factors. Each measure consists of more than one attribute. Health outcomes include length of life and quality of life. Health factors include dozens of ratings in the categories of health behaviors, clinical care, socioeconomic factors, and physical environment.
In the 2020 report, Oswego County’s health outcomes showed continued improvements over the past three years. The county’s ranking in “years of potential life lost rate,” measured as “years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population,” improved; and the percentage of adults in “poor or fair health” and the “average number of physically unhealthy days (in the past 30 days)” were reduced.
Oswego County’s health factors showed successes mixed with setbacks. The rankings of health behaviors and socioeconomic factors turned downward, the physical environment remained the same, and the clinical care improved compared to 2019.
Since the national rankings started in 2010, Oswego County’s health care showed continued improvements in the early years and has remained in the middle in recent years in the ranking of all counties in the state.
The ranking of overall health factors declined. In this group of measures, we have seen large reductions in excessive drinking and STD infection, much improved access to healthy food and exercise opportunities, and a small but significant reduction in teen births. But other health behaviors, including adult smoking, adult obesity, and alcohol-impaired deaths, continue to be troublesome. As a community, we should continue to address these health behavioral challenges.
We are still in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our health care system survived COVID-19’s initial hit to the county with collaboration from health care providers, first responder teams, and public health agencies.
Our COVID-19 infection rate has remained relatively low. We must remain vigilant and each one of us needs to take personal responsibility for preventing the spread of the virus. This means to stay at least six feet apart from others while in a public place, wear a face mask or covering when you can’t practice physical distancing, avoid non-essential gatherings of all types and sizes, and wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating. Please visit the county website at oswegocounty.com for additional information.
As society is reopening, we encourage organizations and businesses to follow the state guidelines. Many public health programs, such as Healthy Miles, cancer prevention, and Overdose to Actions, are resuming with creative modifications to face the new norm of living with the COVID-19 virus
This is a good time to join the collaboration of community health improvements. Please consider being involved in one of the many programs in our community. Working together we will make Oswego County a healthier and happier place to live, work, learn, and play.
Signed, Jiancheng Huang, Director of Public Health. Oswego County Health Department
