By Briana Vannozzi
Correspondent
Good health takes more than just exercise and eating right. It means access to quality health care, preventative screenings and even a shorter, less stressful commute to work. That’s what the researchers at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said today in their annual report on county health rankings — a list of the healthiest and unhealthiest in the state.
So how did your county measure up?
For the sixth year in a row, Hunterdon took top honors out of all 21 in the Garden State. Somerset and Morris were close behind in second and third while Cumberland ranked last — a position it also held last year. Camden and Atlantic counties were ranked 19th and 20th respectively.
“County health rankings looks at the factors directly related to health. How long people are living, how healthy they are while alive, but also the factors that influence health that people don’t think about — the level of education, the income inequities in a community,” said Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Senior Vice President Director Dr. John Lumpkin.
Thirty items are considered in all, including teen births, obesity rates, children living in a single parent household and proximity to parks. New Jersey is home to some of the wealthiest and poorest people in the nation, and the best ranking tends to follow the money.
“When people are unemployed or underemployed or they’re struggling to make ends meet to feed their families, feed themselves, or put a roof over their head, your emotional well-being and your physical well-being always takes a back seat,” said Sen. Joe Vitale.
In affluent Hunterdon County, more than 90 percent of its residents are insured. And about 75 percent have some level of a college degree. Compare that to the U.S. average of just 56 percent with a college degree.
“It’s not just being poor or wealthy that makes a difference, it’s what happens in the community,” Lumpkin said.
There were improvements, like Essex County which leapt three spots from 20th to 17th. That’s thanks to a decrease in violent crime and less repeat hospital visits. But items like child poverty and high rates of STDs pushed Camden County lower on the list from 17th to 19th.
“Really what the rankings are for are for each county to look to set their own priorities,” Lumpkin said.
The group that puts this report together has also created what they call a community coaching program. It’s a group of people with knowledge in areas like public health and urban planning so that local and elected leaders can tap them for their expertise. And that’s good news for the Garden State. Out of 11 coaches nationwide, one has been specifically designated for New Jersey.