By Betsy Finklea
While Dillon County ranked in the bottom half of several areas of a recently released health ranking report, the county ranked number one in physical environment out of all counties in South Carolina.
“The County Health Rankings, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, measure the health of nearly all counties in the nation and rank them within states. The Rankings are compiled using county-level measures from a variety of national and state data sources. These measures are standardized and combined using scientifically-informed weights,” according to www.countyhealthrankings.org, where detailed information can be found.
Rankings are issued for “Health Outcomes,” which includes length of life and quality of life, and “Health Factors,” which includes health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment.
Dillon County was ranked 43 out of 46 counties for health outcomes, and 42 out of 46 counties for health factors. Other rankings included:
-Length of Life: 37 out of 46 counties
-Quality of Life: 44 out of 46 counties
-Health Behaviors: 38 out of 46 counties
-Clinical Care: 36 out of 46 counties
-Social and Economic Factors: 43 out of 46 counties
-Physical Environment: 1 out of 46 counties
-Physical environment, where Dillon County ranks No. 1 in the state, evaluates air pollution – particulate matter, drinking water violations, severe housing problems, driving alone to work, and long commute-driving alone.
Some of the statistics pointed out in the report include:
– 27 percent of Dillon County residents have poor or fair health compared to 16 percent statewide.
– 21 percent of Dillon County adults smoke compared to 20 percent statewide.
-40 percent of Dillon County adults are obese compared to 32 percent statewide.
– 37 percent of Dillon County adults are physically inactive compared to 27 percent statewide.
– 10 percent of Dillon County residents have access to exercise opportunities compared to 14 percent statewide.
-The Dillon County alcohol-impaired driving death rate is 16 percent compared to 42 percent statewide.
-22 percent of Dillon County residents are uninsured compared to 19 percent statewide.
-The high school graduation rate is 66 percent in Dillon County compared to 74 percent statewide.
-14.3 percent of Dillon County residents are unemployed compared to 9.1 percent statewide.
-41 percent of Dillon County children are in poverty compared to 27 percent statewide.
-33 percent of Dillon County residents have inadequate social support compared to 22 percent statewide.
-55 percent of Dillon County’s children are in single parent households compared to 39 percent statewide.
-Dillon County has 0 percent drinking water violations compared to two percent statewide.
