San Diego County is healthier than most, study finds
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San Diego County is healthier than most counties across the country, a new report suggests.
Why it matters: San Diego residents have a longer life expectancy and lower rate of premature death than the rest of California and the U.S.
- That's according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute.
The fine print: The study not only measured health outcomes, but also indicators including healthy behaviors, quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment — all of which can be improved for longer, healthier lives.
Zoom in: San Diego County's health factors are about the same as the average county in California, but better than the national average.
The county's biggest strengths:
- Adults participating in physical activity and their access to exercise.
- Low rate of teen births (which have been associated with adverse health outcomes).
- High ratios of doctors and mental health providers to residents.
- High percentage of insured residents.
- High percentage of college-educated people.
- Low unemployment and child poverty rates.
The setbacks: More air pollution, severe housing problems and excessive drinking.
The big picture: California is a mixed bag, with counties having some of the highest and lowest quality-of-health factors.
- 64% of California's 58 counties are better than the national average by the study's measurements, and 14% are worse.
- The Bay Area, including San Francisco County, ranked among the nation's best in terms of health factors.
- Meanwhile, Imperial County, on San Diego's eastern border, ranked among the nation's worst for those same measurements.
What they're saying: Places with strong civic infrastructure, such as broadband internet access and public libraries, are often healthier, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps said in a recent news release.
- "These counties are often located in the Northeast and Western regions of the country and tend to also experience more social and economic opportunities and longer life expectancy.Zoom in: San Diego County's health factors are about the same as the average county in California, but better than the national average."