Benton named healthiest county in Arkansas

Benton County residents have each the very best well being components and the very best well being outcomes in Arkansas, based on a report launched Wednesday by the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis.

• Well being components embody issues like entry to well being care and train, behaviors akin to smoking and socioeconomic components like poverty and violent crime. Well being outcomes embody outcomes like untimely dying.

Between the traces: The information from the County Well being Rankings & Roadmaps report suggests higher well being correlates with larger incomes and extra entry to sources, akin to well being care and train alternatives.

• Washington County ranks second in well being outcomes and third in well being components. Saline County in central Arkansas took the No. 2 slot for well being components.

By the numbers: 13% of youngsters in Benton County and 15% in Washington County reside in poverty, in comparison with the state common of 21%, based on the report.

• Benton’s violent crime price is sort of half the state common. Washington County’s price can be decrease than the state common.
• 74% of Benton residents and 83% of Washington residents have satisfactory entry to train, in comparison with 56% of the state.
• Benton and Washington counties even have a decrease teen beginning price in comparison with the state general.

Sure, however: Benton County has fewer major care medical doctors, dentists and psychological well being care suppliers per resident than the state common, whereas Washington County has greater than the state common.

The large image: Typically, the more healthy counties are within the central and northwest elements of the state.

• The least wholesome are alongside the jap border, with Phillips County rating the bottom in each components and outcomes. There, 37% of youngsters reside in poverty and 54% of the inhabitants has entry to train alternatives.

Go deeper: Discover the information