Oakland County is the 10th healthiest county in Michigan, according to the County Health Rankings Report released recently. Oakland enters the top 10 for the first time since the rankings began in 2003, while maintaining the number two ranking in health behaviors for the fourth year in a row and significantly improving in the quality of life measure, moving to the top five.
County Executive L. Brooks Patterson credits this achievement to his administration’s focus on quality of life initiatives, including Energizing Connections for a Healthier Oakland (ECHO), a countywide health improvement initiative focused on achieving a community where every person that lives, works, attends school, worships, or plays in Oakland County is a healthy person.
“Promoting active and healthy lifestyles is at the heart of our public health programs and quality of life initiatives,” Patterson said. “ECHO is one among several programs where we work with community partners to find shared solutions and innovative ways to make Oakland County a healthier place to live, work, and play.”
Oakland County has improved or maintained its position in 32 areas of measure in the County Health Rankings Report produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Those areas include quality of life, health behaviors, access to exercise opportunities, adult obesity, teen birth rate, unemployment, and violent crime rate.
“These results reflect the hard work and commitment of the Oakland County Health Division’s numerous community collaborative efforts, work of our partners, and our dedication to improve the overall health and quality of life for residents,” said Kathy Forzley, health officer for Oakland County. “We are pleased with the rankings and are encouraged to continue to work to advance the well-being of our residents.”
The report is the only tool of its kind that measures the overall health of the nation’s more than 3,100 counties. It highlights key health factors that affect health, including health behaviors, access to and quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. For more information about the rankings or to review the report, go to oakgov.com/health.
Oakland County Health Division has a variety of programs and services that support healthy lifestyles by promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors, improving infant health, increasing accessibility of health services, ensuring a safe and clean environment, preparing for emergencies, and reducing the threat and preventing the spread of diseases.
For up-to-date public health information, visit www.oakgov.com/health, follow the Health Division on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter @publichealthOC, or call Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533.
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