The Halifax County Public Health System is studying the results of an annual health outcomes ranking survey which puts the county at 99 out of 100 North Carolina counties.
Orange County was listed at number one while Columbus County was at the bottom. Northampton County was ranked 91.
Halifax System Director Cardra Burns said staff is currently reviewing the study and a broader explanation of its findings is expected to be released. “I would say we have work to do and it's not one entity, not one organization, it's all of us working as a county to change.”
The study, done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, looks at a myriad of factors in determining the rankings. Those factors include quality of life, health behaviors, access to clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment. “It's broader than health,” Burns said. “It includes all categories.”
She said moving up in rank isn't easy. “It takes years. It can take 10 years. It's easier to put on the weight, it's harder to take it off.”
The county has ranked 99th since 2013. It was at 98 in 2012; 99 in 2011 and 96 in 2010.
In a statement on the system's Facebook page, Burns said, “The rankings allow each state to see how its counties compare on 30 factors that impact health, including education, transportation, housing, violent crime, jobs, diet, and exercise.
“Halifax County is ranked 99th in North Carolina. However, we can change our ranking by working collectively together. Like this post if you believe that everyone deserves to be as healthy as they can be no matter who they are or where they live.”
