Topeka, Kan. – Today, the 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) have been released and show Shawnee County in the lower range of counties in Kansas for Health Outcomes and in the middle range of counties in Health Factors. This year’s rankings collected data for 104 of the counties in Kansas.

For more than a decade, the CHR&R data, evidence, guidance and stories have broadened the nation’s understanding about the multiple factors that shape health. The CHR&R, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI), look at a variety of elements that impact the overall health of a community. Areas ranked include length of life, quality of life, health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment. The Annual Data Release offers a snapshot of the health of nearly every county in the nation. With data on more than 80 measures relevant to health, the data offers important context about the community conditions that support good health and advance health equity.

“The Rankings continue provide a snapshot of how we compare to other counties in Kansas, the State and Nation; highlighting that where we live, work, learn and play has a tremendous impact on our health,” said Teresa Fisher, Director of Shawnee County Health Department. “The measures included in the Rankings, however, only tell a portion of the story, as we know there are many factors that affect an individual’s health. Here at the Shawnee County Health Department we continue to work on creating meaningful partnerships with our community to ensure we fully understand the experiences, gaps and barriers to achieving optimal health in our community and to then work strategically with our partners to address health inequities evident in our community.”

Local communities, such as Shawnee County, utilize the CHR&R to identify and garner support for local health improvement initiatives among government agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations, business leaders, policy makers, and the public. Additionally, Shawnee County incorporates CHR&R data into the local Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process as well as in the development and analysis of the Community Health Improvement Plan. The 2024 CHNA process in Shawnee County is currently underway where local stakeholders are collaborating on a comprehensive perception survey, data collection, research, and analysis. The goal is to further understand the range of public health issues affecting Shawnee County communities and provide accurate data to develop and prioritize strategies that improve the health of Shawnee County.

The County Health Rankings identified some of the following areas of strength in Shawnee County:

• Overall clinical care
  • Ratio of population to Primary Care Physicians
  • Mammography screening
  • Flu vaccinations
• High school and some college completion

The County Health Rankings identified the following areas as areas to further explore in Shawnee County:

• Adult smoking
• Adult obesity
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Air Pollution

On May 15, 2024, the Shawnee County Health Department in partnership with LiveWell Shawnee County will be hosting the annual County Health Rankings: A Community Conversation event that provides an annual breakdown of the Rankings with a look to the future to create awareness around improving the health of all residents in Shawnee County.

For more information about the CHR&R visit www.countyhealthrankings.org.

Attachment: Kansas Health Institute – 2024 Shawnee County Report