March 30, 2023

Kitsap climbs list of Washington's healthiest counties

National County Health Rankings released this week place Kitsap sixth among Washington counties for health outcomes and second for health factors.

KITSAP COUNTY, WA – Kitsap County continues to rank among the healthiest counties in Washington State.

Updated County Health Rankings released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute this week ranked Kitsap sixth among Washington counties for health outcomes and second for health factors. Health outcomes are considered a measure of the current health of our population. Health factors are factors that could influence the future health of Kitsap residents. 

University of Wisconsin-Madison produces nationwide county rankings each year with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The rankings are intended to broaden the public's understanding of the many factors that affect the health of communities.

"It is gratifying to see Kitsap once again recognized as one of the healthiest counties in our state and nation," Kitsap Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Gib Morrow said. "However, we know that our community still faces significant gaps in healthcare services and inequitable health outcomes. We must continue working together to create a Kitsap where everyone can be safe and healthy." 

While useful as a call to action and educational tool, the County Health Rankings have limitations. For example, the 2023 report is largely based on data from 2020, meaning the rankings reflect health indicators from the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic rather than a snapshot of current conditions.

Local data and information sources, including community assessments and the Health District's health indicator reports, provide important context for understanding the health of our county.

• View the full County Health Rankings report for Washington here.
• View the full County Health Rankings report for Kitsap County here.
• View Kitsap Public Health District's rankings analysis here
• View Kitsap Public Health District's library of health indicator dashboards here. 

KITSAP'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

County Health Rankings data identified several areas where Kitsap ranked higher than the state and national averages. Highlights included:

• Kitsap received a high ranking for quality of life, with a low percentage of adults with fair or poor health. 
  
  
• Kitsap had a low rate of residents reporting no physical activity.
  
  
• Kitsap had a low rate of uninsured residents low rate of preventable hospital stays. 
  
  
• Kitsap had a high rate of high school completion and low rate of income inequality. 
  
  
• Kitsap had low air pollution and a low percentage of residents commuting more than 30 minutes.

The rankings also called attention areas where Kitsap ranked below state and national averages. Adult smoking, adult binge drinking, and adult obesity were all flagged as "areas to explore." The rankings called attention disparities between population groups for infant birthweights, preventable hospital stays, injury deaths, children living in poverty, and other outcomes. 

View our County Health Rankings analysis to learn more.

Local assessments dive deeper

Several assessment projects planned for 2023 will explore Kitsap health factors in greater detail.

These include a recently completed community needs assessment led by Kitsap Community Resources, which gathered input on available social services through a survey and focus groups. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health/St. Michael Medical Center updating its own needs assessment and implementation plan this year (you can view the hospital's 2020 assessment here).

Kitsap Public Health District is embarking on Community Health Assessment this spring that will draw from data and community feedback to create a more comprehensive picture of health factors and trends in our county. This will feed into a Community Health Priorities process aimed at galvanizing action around strategies for improving health. 

Kitsap Public Health has also contracted with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security conduct a comprehensive study local healthcare systems and identify opportunities to close gaps in services and improve access to care. 

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health/St. Michael Medical Center will complete its own needs assessment and implementation plan this year (you can view the hospital's 2020 assessment here).

The results of these assessments will be shared with the public as they are completed.

Want more local health data? Explore our health indicators library!

Kitsap Public Health District's Epidemiology Program taps dozens of reliable data sources to track health outcomes in Kitsap County and analyze factors influencing the health of residents. Health District epidemiologists maintain a growing library of interactive dashboards exploring numerous local Health Indicators. This resource brings awareness to health issues and informs health initiatives. When possible, the dashboards compare Kitsap data to statewide trends and highlight disparities experienced by different subpopulations and geographic areas.

CONTACT:

Tad Sooter | Public Information Officer
Kitsap Public Health District
360-728-2330 - office | (360) 728-2235 - main
pio@kitsappublichealth.org | kitsappublichealth.org