St. Landry Parish ranked 57th in health outcomes among Lousiana’s 64 parishes in the 2019 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Across the parish line, Acadia Parish fared better ranking 31 in health outcomes and Evangeline Parish was 48th in the state.
In health factors, such as smoking and obesity, St. Landry Parish ranked 50th in the state. Acadia Parish ranked 29th and Evangeline Parish ranked 55th.
Ranking tops in health outcomes in the state is Cameron Parish and health factors it is St. Tammany Parish.
Ranking at the bottom in Louisiana in health outcomes is East Carroll Parish and Madison Parish ranks 64th in health factors.
The annual study states its measures vital health factors, including high school graduation rates, obesity, smoking, unemployment, access to healthy foods, the quality of air and water, income inequality, and teen births in nearly every county in America.
“The annual Rankings provide a revealing snapshot of how health is influenced by where we live, learn, work and play. They provide a starting point for change in communities. That is why we also provide the Roadmaps that provide guidance and tools to understand the data, and strategies that communities can use to move into action,” the report stated.
Among the health outcomes in St. Landry Parish:
— Life expectancy is 72.7 years compared to 76.1 in Louisiana and 81 for the top U.S. performers.
— 23 percent are poor physical health compared to 21 percent in the state and 12 percent among the top U.S. performers.
— 14 percent have diabetes compared to 12 percent in the state and 9 percent for the top U.S. performers.
— 21 percent adult smoking compared to 23 percent in the state and 14 percent in the top U.S. performers.
— 37 percent obesity compared to 35 percent in the state and 26 percent in the top U.S. performers.
— 40 percent alcohol-impaired driving deaths compared to 34 percent in the state and 13 percent among the top U.S. performers.
— 53 teen births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 compared to 37 in the state and 14 among the top U.S. performers.
St. Landry Parish’s health factors include:
— 12 percent uninsured compared to 12 percent in the state and 6 percent among the top U.S. performers.
— 91 injury death per 100,000 compared to 84 in the state and 57 in the top U.S. performers.
— 1,420 to 1 ratio of population to primary care physicians compared to 1,500:1 in the state and 1,050:1 in the top U.S. performers.
— 3,210 to 1 ratio of population to dentists compared to 1,840:1 in the state and 1,260:1 in the top U.S. preformers.
— 36 percent of children in poverty compared to 28 percent in the state and 11 percent in the top U.S. performers.
— 674 violent crimes per 100,000 population compared to 541 in the state and 63 in the top U.S. performers.
— 48 percent of children in single-parent households compared to 44 percent in the state and 20 percent in the top U.S. performers.
— 77 percent of children eligible for free or reduced price lunch compared to 63 percent in the state and 32 percent in the top U.S. performers.
The health rankings are available at countyhealthrankings.org/
The website states the goals of the program are:
Build awareness of the multiple factors that influence health.
Provide a reliable, sustainable source of local data and evidence to communities to help them identify opportunities to improve their health.
Engage and activate local leaders from many sectors in creating sustainable community change, and
Connect and empower community leaders working to improve health.
The website states the rankings started in 2013.
