Orange County Ranked Among Top 10 Healthiest Counties in California

(Santa Ana) – A new national study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked Orange County among the ten healthiest counties in the state.  The only county in Southern California ranked in the top ten, Orange County ranked number seven for health outcomes and number nine for health factors.  The study, which was based on county-by-county health statistics for 56 of California’s 58 counties, also found that Orange County residents are less likely to currently smoke or be obese compared to state-wide averages. 

The County Health Rankings report provides overall rankings for health outcomes and for health factors for every county in every state.  Health outcome rankings are based on mortality and morbidity, while health factor rankings are based on health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment. “The County Health Rankings provide a new way for the community to measure success and identify areas that need improvement as it relates to health and well being,” said David Riley, Orange County Health Care Agency Director.  “This report will help us to work with the community to address factors to improve the health of Orange County residents.” 

Orange County’s high rankings can be attributed to the success of many individuals’ healthy behaviors, community partnerships, a culture that supports a healthy and active lifestyle, and the services in place to protect and promote the health of our residents. 

The 2010 County Health Rankings report is a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.  The report is available online at www.countyhealthrankings.org/california.

This is actually a very significant accomplishment. Orange County is an very diverse and exceptionally large metropolitian area. A very small amount of general fund dollars are used to fund health promotion efforts in Orange County. Most programs are funded through targeted funding streams. The Orange County Health Care Agency has been able to maximize those resources to achieve better health outcomes than other counties of similar size.