Benton, Franklin counties are far from the healthiest in Washington, study finds. Here’s why

Residents of Benton and Franklin counties face a number of obstacles to good health, including less access to doctors and exercise opportunities, higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and more child poverty.

That’s the finding of a study published in mid-March by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

The 50-state study ranked every county by two metrics: (1) Health outcomes, measured by factors such as premature deaths, percentage of people in poor or fair health, the number of poor physical and mental health days taken, and babies with low birthweight; and (2) health factors, measured by health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and the physical environment.

The report found that Franklin County ranked No. 13 — of 39 — while Benton County came in at No. 15. Between them was Lincoln County, ahead of them was Kittitas County and behind them was Jefferson County.

Coming in at No. 1 was San Juan County, in the Salish Sea. Ferry County came in at No. 39.

The study found that about 31 percent of adults were obese in Franklin County and 30 percent were obese in Benton County, putting both slightly above the statewide average of 28 percent.

Correlating with that is just 76 percent of Franklin County residents and 81 percent of Benton County residents have access to exercise opportunities. The state average is 87 percent.

While Franklin County recorded a higher-than-state average number of sexually transmitted infections (519 cases of chlamydia per 100,000 people), Benton County fell below the state average with 389 cases per 100,000. Washington state’s average was 435 cases per 100,000.

One of the greatest obstacles to good health in Franklin County is access to medical care, the study showed. There are 4,100 residents for every one primary care doctor, 2,250 residents for every dentist and 780 residents for every mental health professional.

Compare that to Benton County, where the ratio of people to doctors is 1,470 to 1, people to dentists is 1,400 to 1 and people to mental health providers is 470 to 1. Statewide, there are 1,220 residents for every doctor, 1,260 residents for every dentist and 310 residents for every mental health professional.

Both Franklin and Benton County recorded a greater number of preventable hospital stays, defined in the study as the number of stays for ambulatory-care sensitive conditions, than the statewide average of 2,914 per 1,000 Medicare enrollees: In Franklin County, it was 3,555 per 1,000 and in Benton County it was 4,162 per 1,000.

Both counties also had a higher-than-state-average amount of child poverty: 18 percent of children in Franklin County and 17 percent in Benton County. The state average is 14 percent.

Finally, both counties had a significantly higher amount of air pollution particulate matter than the state average. Franklin County recorded 9.4 micrograms per cubic meter, Benton County 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Statewide, the average was 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter.

While the report held good news for some counties, it was far from universal.

“The data show that, in counties everywhere, not everyone has benefited in the same way from these health improvements,” the study found. “There are fewer opportunities and resources for better health among groups that have been historically marginalized, including people of color, people living in poverty, people with physical or mental disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and women.”

The study authors wrote that many of the differences in opportunity were “the result of policies and practices at many levels that have created deep-rooted barriers to good health, such as unfair bank lending practices, school funding based on local property taxes, and discriminatory policing and prison sentencing.”

“The collective effect is that a fair and just opportunity to live a long and healthy life does not exist for everyone. Now is the time to change how things are done,” the report concluded.

The full study can be found at http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/.