Data shows the healthiest counties have well-resourced civic infrastructure
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 21, 2024) — Today, the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health(IMPH) highlights the continued progress the state is making in clinical care, including access to care and quality of care, according to new data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI). The new data and resources are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
For more than a decade, CHR&R’s data, evidence, guidance and stories have broadened the nation’s understanding of the multiple factors that shape health. This year’s CHR&R data release provides communities with a local snapshot of the most recent health data available, highlighting the impact of well-resourced civic infrastructure. CHR&R defines civic infrastructure as places, policies, programs and practices that undergird strong communities and foster civic participation South Carolina has seen improvements in several areas, including an increase in annual mammography screenings and a decrease in the unemployment rate and children in poverty.
“To positively influence community health throughout the state, civic engagement is essential,” says Maya Pack, Executive Director of the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health. “Creating community spaces where everyone can engage, be informed and have a say is key to healthy communities.”
To support strong civic engagement in South Carolina’s rural counties, IMPH and the South Carolina Office of Rural Health are developing a rural health policy toolkit to provide communities with information and relevant data to engage with appointed and elected officials on the local (county and municipal) level to develop policy solutions for health issues.
"We are grateful to have this data available to highlight the great things happening in rural counties,” says Graham Adams, CEO of the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. “Our communities can use this data to lift up their work, strengthening the narratives around their work. It can be used to support requests for new funding opportunities and to share back out within the community, so their neighbors are informed."
The data from CHR&R also allows each state to identify opportunities for health outcome improvements, including premature death in South Carolina or the years of potential life lost before age 75.
This data offers a snapshot of the health of nearly every county in the nation. With data on more than 80 measures relevant to health, CHR&R offers important context about the community conditions that support good health and advance health equity. To see how South Carolina fares on these measures, visit https://countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/south-carolina.
Visit countyhealthrankings.org to learn more.
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About the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health
The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) is an independent entity serving as an informed nonpartisan convener around the important health issues in our state, providing evidence- based information to inform health policy decisions. For more information, visit imph.org.
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About the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides local communities with data on more than 90 health-influencing factors such as housing, education, jobs and access to quality health care. The Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
About the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute advances health and well-being for all by developing and evaluating interventions and promoting evidence-based approaches to policy and practice at the local, state and national levels. The Institute works across the full spectrum of factors that contribute to health and equity. The Institute leads the work on the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. For more information, visit http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu.