Putnam No. 1 In Latest County Health Rankings

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Putnam County is ranked first in New York State for health outcomes, according to the annual County Health Rankings Report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

"This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our community partners, healthcare providers, and residents who have made wellness a priority," Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne said.

The rankings provide a snapshot of a community’s health and a starting point for investigating and discussing ways to improve it — something that's appropriate as April 3-9 is National Public Health Week.

This year's theme for National Public Health Week is "Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health: Feeling like we belong, being a part of our communities, and fostering cultural connections."

"Our findings reveal that people and places thrive when all residents have the chance to participate in their communities," said Sheri Johnson, principal investigator of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps and director of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. "History shows that we can remake systems and structures through civic participation that are beneficial to all."

Health departments are among those beneficial structures. They provide information on preventing diseases, managing illnesses, and where to go for help, and help control diseases like rabies, tuberculosis, measles, COVID-19, flu, polio, and sexually transmitted infections.

"Public health departments at the state and local levels provide the critical infrastructure for sustainable health in the United States," Dr. Robert W. Amler told Patch.

"Their multidisciplinary functions ensure safe environmental conditions for all, including safe food, water, housing, sanitation, disease control, emergency preparedness, and essential vaccines and clinical preventive services," said Amler, Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice and Institute of Public Health at New York Medical College in Westchester County. "In a curious sense, the best sign of a well-functioning health department is you barely know it’s there because you’re being safeguarded every day."

The county public health rankings report is issued annually. Researchers looked at more than 30 factors that affect health such as education, employment, housing, tobacco use, and access to health care, and compares counties in each state. This year, they also looked at two elements of civic health: civic infrastructure, the spaces and policies that support opportunities for residents to stay connected, and civic participation, the ways people engage in community life and how they affect overall health.

In health outcomes, defined as how long people live on average within a community, and how much physical and mental health people experience in a community while they are alive, Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties were in the top 25 of the 62 counties in New York.

The county-by-county rankings for health outcomes:

• Putnam: 1st
• Rockland: 4th
• Westchester: 6th
• Dutchess: 17th
• Orange: 20th
• Ulster: 24th

The report also looked at more than 30 factors that affect health including access to care, tobacco and alcohol use, drug overdose death rates, sleep, exercise, education, employment, housing, residential segregation and commuting. The county rankings for health factors:

• Putnam: 2nd
• Westchester: 4th
• Rockland: 11th
• Dutchess: 12th
• Orange: 21st
• Ulster: 25th

"Putnam County is a place where anybody, regardless of their background, has an opportunity to be healthy and successful," Byrne said. "From our pristine parks and robust public health programs and initiatives, Putnam County truly offers something for everyone to enjoy and thrive. As we look ahead, we will continue to prioritize health and wellness, ensuring Putnam County remains a leader in healthy living and wellbeing for all."

Interim Commissioner of Health Michael J. Nesheiwat, MD said, "Putnam County has been ranked the number-one healthiest of New York’s 62 counties for the second year in a row. We have ranked within the top five healthiest counties in New York state for the last 10 years. Each year, upon release of this report, staff at the Putnam County Department of Health conduct a full review of the findings with additional analysis of Putnam's performance over time, both of which are vital to ensure public health program planning aligns with the needs of our community."

The information contained in the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps supplements the data collected in Putnam’s triannual Community Health Assessment (CHA). Health department staff use all this information to maintain awareness of health indicators and inform program planning.

An area in which Putnam has been improving is the percentage of Medicare enrollees receiving an annual flu shot. For many years, the health department has been offering at least three public seasonal flu clinics where Medicare enrollees can receive a flu shot at no cost. To improve access to care and health equity among Putnam’s seniors, flu clinics are also offered at each of the Senior Centers in the County.

Aside from health outcomes, the report also looks at health factors, which include sub-areas such as health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. These are all determinants of health because the surroundings and circumstances people are in affect their health. Putnam County ranks number two in health factors across the state, ranking within the top 10 for all sub-areas except physical environment.

Aspects of this measure, such as average daily particulate matter in the air have been improving over time. The physical environment ranking also includes measures related to transportation, a social determinant of health known to be a challenge for rural/suburban counties such as Putnam. Putnam’s 2022 CHA had identified transportation as one of the 10 main health challenges, and earlier this year, a transportation workgroup was formed by members of a community coalition on chronic disease.

The group met alongside local government agencies to map out short and long-term objectives related to improving access to transportation.

Data from the Putnam County CHA is used by community partners such as this workgroup, to inform program and service planning for residents. It is publicly available on the county website at https://putnamcountyny.com/health/community-health.

"Whenever joining together to brainstorm solutions for improving public health, or other quality of life issues, community partnership is essential. This workgroup is just one example of the culture of collaboration that exists in Putnam," Byrne said.

The mission of the Putnam County Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, is to improve and protect the health of the Putnam County community, composed of nearly 100,000 residents. Core services include community health assessment, disease surveillance and control, emergency preparedness, environmental health protection, family health promotion and health education. For more information, please visit our county website at www.putnamcountyny.com or social media sites on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PutnamHealthNY.

The annual report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute can be viewed online here.

SEE ALSO: Westchester Honors Contributions To Public Health