A new report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, entitled County Health Rankings, lists Tama County 54th out of Iowa's 99 counties. The Rankings show how counties measure up within each state in terms of how healthy people are, how long they live, and how important factors affect their health, such as tobacco use, binge drinking, exercise, obesity, access to healthcare, education, community safety, and air quality.

"While we know this report is only a snapshot in time and not a complete picture of Tama County's health, we take it seriously. We will use the rankings in conjunction with other community health assessment and planning efforts to find the best ways to build upon our successes and to address gaps identified," said Tama County Public Health Director Linda Rosenberger.

One area measured by the Report is preventable hospital stays. A high rate of hospitalizations suggests that the quality of care provided in the outpatient setting was less than ideal. Tama County has a lower rate of hospitalizations than the overall rate for the State of Iowa. "This is good news and reflects that the health care providers-physicians, nursing homes and home health-in our county are providing quality care," states Rosenberger.

Tama County ranked high in comparison to state statistics in teen births. "This is an area of concern that has previously been identified by Tama County. TCPH has collaborated with schools, healthcare providers, churches, ISU Extension and other community members, to implement teen pregnancy prevention education and activities in our community."

"We can also use this report to mobilize community leaders to take action and invest in programs and policy changes that will improve health in Tama County," states Rosenberger. Over the past few years, through our community partnership SKIP (Supporting Kids in Prevention) we have worked with all Tama County school districts to establish smoke free campus policies, we have supported the Tama County Sheriff's Office in the passing of the beer keg registration ordinance by the Tama County Supervisors and are presently proposing a huffing prevention ordinance to the Supervisors."

The health of a community depends on multiple factors-ranging from the quality of health care, to individual behavior, to education and jobs, to the environment. Having a report that ranks counties on how healthy they are helps everyone see where the problems are so that they can identify and implement local solutions. By choosing healthy behaviors, the way we eat, drink, exercise and play-we can all work together to make Tama County a healthier place to live.

The complete County Health Rankings Report can be found online at www.countyhealthrankings.org/iowa

NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

"Notwithstanding the good work that local health departments do, no organization can improve the health of the community it serves singlehandedly, " says Robert M. Pestronk, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), "Whether at the top of the list or the bottom, groups of people in any County are not as healthy as they could be." The County Health Rankings illustrate the impact that factors such as access to education and income have on the public's health. They underscore the need for effective partnerships between other sectors of the community and their local health department.

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