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Drops in Lafayette County health rankings
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DARLINGTON - A difficult economy can trump educational programs and efforts to improve healthy lifestyle choices.

Lafayette County Health Department Director Debbie Siegenthaler said the county has placed an emphasis on healthy lifestyle choices over the past few years and hopes to see improvements in how people view health and wellness.

The sixth annual University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute report, released today, determined Lafayette County ranks 48th out of 72 counties and the city of Milwaukee in terms of health outcomes. Health outcomes are based on the number of people who die before the age of 75, as well as the number of people who report being in fair or poor health. The county was ranked 34th in 2007.

In the 2008 report, 12.3 percent of Lafayette County residents reported they were in fair or poor health, compared to 11.6 percent in 2007.

Lafayette County also dropped from third to fourth in the list of health determinants, which include such things as health care, healthy behaviors, socioeconomic factors and physical environment.

In those areas, Siegenthaler said higher unemployment can have an impact on health choices.

In 2008, 2.8 percent of residents said they didn't receive needed health care, compared to 0.8 percent in 2007; 3.5 percent of Lafayette County residents didn't have health insurance, compared to 3.3 percent in 2007; 23 percent of residents smoke, compared to 21.5 percent in 2007; and 16.2 percent report binge drinking, compared to 14.9 in 2007.

Siegenthaler said she was concerned about the increases. The higher number of people who didn't receive medical care could be caused by loss of jobs or changes in insurance.

"A lot of people in Lafayette County either farm or are self-employed and that could make a difference," she said. Some businesses also may have changed insurance costs and deductibles, she added.

She also was concerned about the increase in smoking. The report doesn't' say if the increased numbers are older smokers or younger smokers, but Siegenthaler said she'd like to see the number decrease.

"I think a statewide smoking ban would help keep younger people from smoking," she said.

It's also important counties try to influence residents to be more health conscious, she said. Lafayette County has held, and will continue to hold, health events, health screenings, and other activities to promote health and to help people learn about how to take care of their health.

"We'll keep plugging away," Siegenthaler said of her hopes to see a more healthy county.