2019 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Platte County 2019 Highlights
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps rate counties based on a variety of health factors so communities can better understand what is
positively affecting their residents’ health, as well as what needs to be improved so residents can live healthier lives. In the 2019 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, Platte County was compared to 79 Nebraska counties, because the remaining 14 Nebraska counties were not rated. Compared to other Nebraska counties, Platte County excelled in the areas of Health Outcomes, Length of Life and Clinical Care.
Platte County ranked eighth out of the 79 counties in terms of Health Outcomes, which looks at the physical and mental health of residents and rates counties based on their residents’ length of life and quality of life. The county scored particularly well in the Length of Life category, ranking seventh out of 79 counties. In terms of Quality of Life, Platte County ranked 25th out of 79 counties.
Additionally, Platte County was ranked seventh out of 79 counties in the Clinical Care category. This category looks at access to care and
quality of care. In this category, Platte County had a higher percentage of its residents who received mammography screenings and flu
vaccinations than other Nebraska counties and U.S. top performers. It also had a lower rate of preventable hospital stays.
Platte County 2019 Areas for Improvement
Platte County ranked 31st in terms of Health Factors and 23rd in terms of Health Behaviors. Despite its relatively high ranking at 23 in Health Behaviors, the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps noted a few areas of concern in this category, specifically the county’s adult obesity rates. Thirty-three percent of Platte County residents reported an obese BMI, compared to 31 percent of other Nebraska residents and 26 percent of U.S. top performers.
In the Social and Economic Factors category, Platte County ranked 43rd out of 79 counties. Though the county performed well in terms of its low unemployment rate and low rates of children in poverty, its overall score was brought down by lower high school graduation and college education rates.
Platte County’s lowest rating of 69th was in the Physical Environment category. This category rated counties on air pollution rates, drinking water violations, housing problems and its percentage of residents who drove or commuted to work alone.
Long-Term Improvements
Platte County has made some strides in improving its County Health Rankings over the past few years. Though the rates have changed from year to year, several Platte County rankings have made overall improvements from their rankings from five years ago.
For example, Platte County has made significant improvement in its Clinical Care ranking. In 2014, Platte County was rated 38th in this
category, compared to its rating of seventh in the 2019 rankings. The county’s Length of Life rating has also improved from 12th in 2014 to seventh in 2019. The county also saw improvement in the Health Behaviors category, going from 25 rating in 2014 to a 23 rating in 2019. Its Health Outcomes score also improved from 11th in 2014 to eighth in 2019. The county also saw improvements in the areas of physical inactivity and access to exercise opportunities. Physical inactivity rates were reported at 24 percent in 2014, compared to 22 percent in 2019. Additionally, the access to exercise opportunities rating improved from 81 percent in 2014 to 84 percent in 2019.
To view the 2019 Platte County Rakings and Roadmaps document, click here.