Multnomah County ranks among healthiest in U.S.
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Multnomah County residents are healthier than most of the rest of the nation, according to a new report.
Why it matters: The county got high marks for the second year in a row, in part due to low rates of premature death, easy access to exercise opportunities, and fewer uninsured people than the rest of the country.
- That's according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
How it works: The report ranks counties by the quality of community conditions — also called "social determinants" — which range from affordable housing and well-funded schools to accessible broadband and self-reported mental and physical well-being.
Caveat: While social determinants play a big role in the overall health of a community, the "conditions needed to create healthy communities are not available to everyone," per the report.
By the numbers: Multnomah County scored higher than the national average in a number of categories.
- The county has one primary care physician for every 680 people, compared with one physician for every 1,330 people nationally.
- We also scored high on the food environment index, which measures food insecurity and access to healthy foods, with an 8.6, compared with a 7.4 nationally.
- 99% of the county has easy access to exercise opportunities, while nationwide that number is 84%.
Yes, but: We didn't fare so well when it came to mental health.
- Multnomah County adults reported that their mental health was not good on 6.1 of the previous 30 days, compared with 5.1 nationally.
- That's despite having a higher ratio — one for every 90 people — of mental health providers than the national average of one for every 300 people.
What they're saying: "The conditions necessary for healthy, thriving communities don't happen by chance," Dr. Sheri Johnson, principal investigator for the report, told Axios.
- "Communities can build power so that everyone has a say in shaping conditions to live long and well," Johnson said.