How healthy are we here in Hampton County? While our slow Southern lifestyle might seem to be just what the doctor ordered, according to a national study, Hampton County folks are in poorer health and more likely to die a premature death than many across the state and nation.
An in-depth study released last month by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute ranked Hampton County 24th in the state in terms of Health Outcomes such as premature death and low birth weights and 28th in the state in terms of Health Factors such as behaviors, clinical care, and environmental factors.
"We have a lot going for us, but being a healthy place is not one of them," said Pete Tucker, Vice President of Marketing and Development at Hampton Regional Medical Center. "Look at our heart disease, diabetes and obesity. And Hampton County has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the state. But to me the scariest thing on this report would be our rate of premature death."
Hampton County ranked 29th in premature deaths the state with a rate of 11,200, while the state value was 9,300 and the national target value was 7,870. These rates are derived by calculating the number of years of potential life lost before age 75 as a rate per 100,000 population. For example, a person who dies at age 50 would contribute 25 years of potential life lost per 100,000 people.
While other studies have ranked states in terms of health, this study is believed to be the first to rank the overall health in every county in all 50 states. Each county is ranked on how healthy its people are and how long they live.
Counties are also ranked on key factors that affect health such as smoking, obesity, binge drinking, and access to primary care providers.
The study also ranks counties on education, socio-economic and lifestyle factors, such as rates of high school graduation, rates of violent crime, air pollution levels, unemployment rates, number of children living in poverty, and even liquor store density.
Poorly-ranked counties often have high unemployment and poverty rates and high numbers of liquor stores and fast-food outlets, but few places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, even if these counties border higher ranking counties.
Researchers used data available in each county from 2000 to 2008 to develop the rankings.

What the numbers reveal
Other interesting statistics:
- At least 24 percent of Hampton County residents surveyed rated themselves in poor or fair health, compared to 17 percent statewide.
- The rate of adult smoking is lower in the county (15 percent) than the rest of the state (23).
- The rate of adult obesity here (36 percent) is higher than state (29) and national target values (27). Higher rates of obesity put people at risk for diabetes, disability, and heart disease.
- In terms of liquor store density, the county had a rate of 1.9 compared to .9 for the state and .3 for the national target value. This rate is calculated by the number of liquor stores per 10,000 people.
- While binge drinking rates are lower here than statewide, the motor vehicle crash death rate (38) is considerably higher than the state (25) and target values (20).
- Both the chlamydia rate and the teen birth rate in the county well exceed state and target values.
- Preventable hospital stays in Hampton County were almost double the target value, which may show that people tend to overuse the local hospital as their main source of care.
- Only 23 percent of Hampton County's population lives in a zip code that has a produce stand or farmer's market area.

What's behind the numbers
Tucker said that one factor in our county's rating was poverty, adding that 31 percent of the county's population was on Medicaid, and 16 percent were underinsured.
But the most significant cause of Hampton County's disparities is the lack of access to primary care, Tucker says. He pointed out that the county is federally designated as a "Health Professional Shortage Area," adding that there are only seven primary care physicians to treat the entire county's population but statistically we need far more than that.
"We don't have enough doctors to take care of our population," he said. "Access to care is critical, but it's not easy to see a local doctor, or you have to call two or three times to get an appointment. That's why some people say ‘let's just tough this out' instead of getting proper care."
Tucker said that local people have to drive to see a pediatrician or an OB/GYN and that, in a recent survey of local doctors, over 90 percent said that our area needs more health care providers.
"That's a strong statement, when our doctors say we need more doctors," he added. "We need to find a way to increase access to primary health care."

How can we get healthy?
Not surprisingly, the county rankings show that people who live in healthier counties tend to have more education, are more likely to be employed, have access to more health care providers, and have a ready access to healthier foods, parks, and recreation.
"These rankings demonstrate that health happens where we live, learn, work, and play. And much of what influences how healthy we are and how long we live happens outside the doctor's office," Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said in a written release. "People, no matter where they live, should have the best possible opportunity to be healthy."
Doctors and researchers now hope that not only will these rankings provide valuable information to help identify what's making people unhealthy, there is also hope that this study can be used to mobilize people, families, organizations, and leaders to improve health in their communities.
We've got the report, Hampton County. The numbers are in, and our health is ailing. So what will you do with this information?
To learn more go to www.countyhealthrankings.org.