by 
Share On Social!
A study performed by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute determined the least healthy counties in Texas. The study took into account numerous data sources regarding the health factors of populations, the ratio of dental and mental health care providers to people in the counties, socio-economic data, and unemployment data. Also taken into consideration were the typical length of life and quality of life.
Based on the information, Brooks County (91% Latino population), located in the Rio Grande Valley, was deemed the least healthy county in the state. The report determined that 40% of all adults in Brooks County were of “poor health” and the obesity rate among adults was nearly 30%.
The county also has an uninsured rate of 25% and 46% of the children in the county live in poverty. Over 60% of the homes are single-parent households.
The rest of the list was made up of San Augustine, Real, Duval, and Jim Wells Counties. All five of the unhealthiest counties were located in South Texas, near the border with Mexico.
Of the major counties in Texas, Bexar County (San Antonio) ranked 81st, Dallas County (Dallas) ranked 77th, Harris County (Houston) ranked 56th, and El Paso County (El Paso) ranked 105th. Travis County (Austin) was among the top 10 healthiest counties in the state.
The researchers behind the study hope the report can be used by communities to identify areas for local health improvement.
Read more about the study here.
Share this story on Twitter: Study identifies the unhealthiest county in Texas. #SaludAmerica http://goo.gl/BNjmbv @SaludToday
By The Numbers
142
Percent
Expected rise in Latino cancer cases in coming years
