2019 County Health Rankings Released
Southern Nevada Health District presents findings at community event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 19, 2019
LAS VEGAS – Clark County ranks 8th healthiest in Nevada according to the annual County Health rankings, up from 10th in last year’s ranking. The County Health Rankings are released each year by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI). The full rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
The Southern Nevada Health District presented findings for Clark County at a community event today along with representatives from University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Public Health Training Center and Representative Susie Lee.
The County Rankings provide an easy-to-use snapshot of local health data that demonstrate where people live influences how well they live and how long they live. The Rankings allow each state to see how its counties compare on a range of factors that influence health including education, housing, jobs, smoking, access to healthy foods, and more. This year’s Rankings State Reports show stark differences across and within counties in the opportunity to afford a home, especially for those with low incomes and people of color. This year’s analyses show that a lack of opportunity for a safe, secure, and affordable home is tied to poor health.
“The Rankings are another tool we can use to assure our programs are meeting the needs of our community. Using this information, we can assess our programs and policies to make sure they are addressing areas of concern in our community and better align our services and programs as appropriate,” said Dr. Joe Iser, Chief Health Officer of the Southern Nevada Health District.
The Rankings call attention to opportunities to improve the health of the community and serve as a call-to-action. The Health District works with its governing board, the Southern Nevada District Board of Health, and community partners on programs and initiatives that impact areas addressed by the Rankings. These programs and projects include opening a primary care clinic and dental care clinic, partnering with rural stakeholders to provide services in communities of need outside of Clark County, providing accessible immunization services with its mobile clinic, partnering with the school district to provide fitness and nutrition programs, providing youth tobacco control advocacy programs, and enhancing voluntary smoke-free tobacco programs at worksites and organizations.
“These findings demonstrate the need to invest more resources into public health and into raising the health status of our community,” said Iser. “We see persistent health gaps that exist based on well-identified health factors. We cannot fully address any of these issues without addressing the full range of challenges that keep people from leading healthy lives.”
For more information on Health District programs and services, check out its new website. To access healthy programs and resources go to www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.