The health of W Michigan: A mixed bag

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Several West Michigan counties are among the healthiest in the state and some are among the least healthy.

Kent, Ottawa, Barry and Allegan counties all ranked in the Top 20 healthiest counties in Michigan, according to the latest study released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

Calhoun, Muskegon, Oceana and St. Joseph were among the 20 least healthy counties in the atate.

The rankings examine the health and well-being of people living in nearly every county in the United States, and show that how long and well people live depend on multiple factors beyond just their access to medical care.

Rates of childhood poverty, rates of smoking, obesity levels, access to physicians and dentists, rates of high school graduation and college, access to healthy foods and levels of physical activity are among the 25 factors that influence health examined in the rankings.

According to the rankings, several new national trends were observed --

• While rates of premature death are at the lowest level in 20 years, people in the unhealthiest counties are dying too early at more than twice the rates of those in the healthiest counties.
• Child poverty rates have not improved since 2000, with more than one in five children living in poverty.
• Violent crime has decreased by almost 50 percent over the past two decades.
• The counties where people don’t live as long and don’t feel as well mentally or physically have the highest rates of smoking, teen births, and physical inactivity, as well as more preventable hospital stays.
• Teen birth rates are more than twice as high in the least healthy counties than in the healthiest counties.
• Access to health care remains an important factor and this year the rankings include residents’ access to dentists, as well as primary care doctors. Residents living in healthier counties are 1.4 times more likely to have access to a doctor and dentist than those in the least healthy counties.

The complete listing of Michigan counties --

1.    Leelanau
2.    Ottawa
3.    Clinton
4.    Livingston
5.   Washtenaw
6.    Alger
7.    Grand Traverse
8.    Charlevoix
9.    Benzie
10.    Houghton
11    Allegan
12.    Midland
13.    Eaton
14.    Isabella
15.    Emmet
16.    Kent
17.    Marquette
18.    Cheboygan
19.    Lenawee
20.    Barry
21.    Mecosta
22.    Oakland
23.    Menominee
24.    Delta
25.    Chippewa
26.    Ionia
27.    Montcalm
28.   Otsego
29.    Dickinson
30.    Baraga
31.    Lapeer
32.    Sanilac
33.    Missaukee
34.    Osceola
35.    Gogebic
36.    Ingham
37.    Monroe
38.    Hillsdale
39.    Tuscola
40.    Mackinac
41.    Shiawassee
42    Huron
43    Macomb
44.    Cass
45.    Antrim
46.    Kalamazoo
47.    Branch
48.    Jackson
49.    Gratiot
50.    Iron
51.    Ogemaw
52.    Van Buren
53.    Bay
54.    Newaygo
55.    Mason
56.    Wexford
57.    Schoolcraft
58.    Manistee
59.    Lake
60.    Berrien
61    Iosco
62.    Crawford
63.    St. Joseph
64.    Oceana
65.    Ontonagon
66.    Luce
67.    St. Clair
68.    Montmorency
69.    Muskegon
70.    Presque Isle
71.    Roscommon
72.    Oscoda
73.    Gladwin
74.    Saginaw
75.    Clare
76.    Kalkaska
77.    Alpena
78.    Calhoun
79.    Arenac
80.    Genesee
81.    Alcona
82.    Wayne
NR    Keweenaw