Health News
- County Health Rankings Look Familiar, But Show That Some Counties Overcame Bad Factors To Have Encouraging Outcomes
The 2015 County Health Rankings for Kentucky, compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have been released. For the fourth year in a row, Oldham County ranked highest...
- Smoking Persists Or Even Increases In Poor, Rural, Working-class Counties; New York Times Cites Clay County As An Example
Clay County has a dubious distinction. It has the highest rate of smoking for any U.S. county with a population under 15,000. Researchers at the University of Washington pointed that out, and The New York Times focused on it in reporting the larger...
- Floyd County Newspaper Editor Calls On Readers To Make Lifestyle Changes To Address Area's Diabetes Health Crisis
The editor of an Eastern Kentucky newspaper has joined an advocacy group's call for residents in his county to make simple, healthy lifestyle changes, serving as an example of how local newspapers and community members can engage the public to confront...
- New Health Ranking Of Counties Places Oldham At Top For Second Straight Year; Some Counties Had Big Jumps And Drops
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report of the national county health rankings shows several Kentucky counties have improved in the last two years while others have gotten significantly worse. For the second year in a row, Oldham County ranked...
- Monday, Oct. 10 Is World Mental Health Day
Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, observed with the aim of raising public awareness about mental health issues. On average, Kentuckians report four mentally unhealthy days per month. Adults in Pike County reported having the most days a month ? seven...
Health News
Residents of Bourbon County and the Central Appalachian Coalfield are some of the nation's most sleep-deprived
Bourbon County residents are some of the nation's most sleep-deprived, according to county-level data from a study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study is based on a 2009 survey that asked 432,000 people how many times over the past 30 days they didn't get enough sleep or rest. Respondents were separated into two categories: people who reported poor sleep on fewer than 15 days, and those who reported it on more than 15 days, Christopher Ingraham reports for The Washington Post.
Among Bourbon County respondents, 54 percent said they don't get enough sleep, the seventh highest total in the nation. Many Central Appalachian Coalifield counties also had high rates; those in Kentucky were led by Harlan County, 49 percent; Floyd County, 44%; Breathitt County, 44%; Knox County, 43%; Knott County, 41%; Pike County, 41%; and Morgan County, 40%.
"Researchers looked at a number of social and demographic factors to see whether anything correlated?obesity, income, education, drinking rates, overall physical and mental health," Ingraham writes. "They found, interestingly, that 'relatively younger individuals of lower socioeconomic status and poorer health were more likely to live in hotspot counties.' People who were generally younger, poorer and in worse health were more likely to live in places with high rates of bad sleep."
Among Bourbon County respondents, 54 percent said they don't get enough sleep, the seventh highest total in the nation. Many Central Appalachian Coalifield counties also had high rates; those in Kentucky were led by Harlan County, 49 percent; Floyd County, 44%; Breathitt County, 44%; Knox County, 43%; Knott County, 41%; Pike County, 41%; and Morgan County, 40%.
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| For an interactive version of the map, click here. |
- County Health Rankings Look Familiar, But Show That Some Counties Overcame Bad Factors To Have Encouraging Outcomes
The 2015 County Health Rankings for Kentucky, compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have been released. For the fourth year in a row, Oldham County ranked highest...
- Smoking Persists Or Even Increases In Poor, Rural, Working-class Counties; New York Times Cites Clay County As An Example
Clay County has a dubious distinction. It has the highest rate of smoking for any U.S. county with a population under 15,000. Researchers at the University of Washington pointed that out, and The New York Times focused on it in reporting the larger...
- Floyd County Newspaper Editor Calls On Readers To Make Lifestyle Changes To Address Area's Diabetes Health Crisis
The editor of an Eastern Kentucky newspaper has joined an advocacy group's call for residents in his county to make simple, healthy lifestyle changes, serving as an example of how local newspapers and community members can engage the public to confront...
- New Health Ranking Of Counties Places Oldham At Top For Second Straight Year; Some Counties Had Big Jumps And Drops
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report of the national county health rankings shows several Kentucky counties have improved in the last two years while others have gotten significantly worse. For the second year in a row, Oldham County ranked...
- Monday, Oct. 10 Is World Mental Health Day
Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, observed with the aim of raising public awareness about mental health issues. On average, Kentuckians report four mentally unhealthy days per month. Adults in Pike County reported having the most days a month ? seven...