Putnam Ranks No. 2 in State for Residents' Health

Editor’s Note: The county’s ranking was incorrect in the original headline of this article. Patch regrets the error.

Putnam County ranks among the top counties in New York in terms of personal and public health, according to this year’s study by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

While the county clocked in at No. 2 overall, it topped the state’s 62 counties in Social & Economic Factors, according to The 2015 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps.

Physical Environment factors held the county back—chiefly the length of the work commute, which most people do alone.

Click here to find out how healthy New York’s counties are and explore factors that drive your health.

Here’s the full statement from county officials:

The 2015 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, presented by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, were released to the public this morning. For the sixth consecutive year, Putnam County ranks among the top five counties in the state, with advancement up to second place, from fourth last year, out of 62 counties. These rankings provide a snapshot of a community’s health and a starting point for investigating and discussing ways to improve health.

“Again I am so proud of our Putnam County residents and the healthy choices they make,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “We are ranked among the highest counties in the entire state because of our residents, and the work our Health Department does to make our community a healthier place to live, work and play.”

“Helping Putnam residents improve their health and increasing access to resources that support their efforts is our number-one goal,” said Allen Beals, M.D., Commissioner of Health. “We do this through education, prevention and enforcement.”

The rankings are based on a model of population health that emphasizes many factors that can positively impact health if improved.

The Putnam County Department of Health continues to partner with more than 80 community partners to implement the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for 2013-2017. In 2014 the Health Department continued its chronic disease prevention efforts with Eat Smart Restaurant Week, the Run 4 Your Life event, worksite wellness and school gardening programs.

For more information on the 2015 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, visit http://www.countyhealthrankings.org

The Health Department’s mission is to improve and protect the health of the Putnam County community, composed of nearly 100,000 residents. Core services include community health assessment, disease surveillance and control, environmental health protection, family health promotion and health education. For more information, please visit our website at www.putnamcountyny.com/health; or visit our social media sites on Facebook at www.facebook.com/putnamhealth and Twitter @PutnamHealthNY.