Kodiak Ranks High in State for Health

Overall, Kodiak island ranked second in the state in the category of factors relating to health and fifth in the state in the category of “health outcomes” measuring incidences of early death and poor health.

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By Kodiak Daily Mirror

Story Created: Apr 1, 2011 at 10:09 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 1, 2011 at 10:09 AM AKDT

 

 

Kodiak island is one of the healthiest places to live in the state of Alaska, according to rankings released Wednesday by the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Overall, Kodiak island ranked second in the state in the category of factors relating to health and fifth in the state in the category of “health outcomes” measuring incidences of early death and poor health.

The study also points out behaviors those in Kodiak can adjust to increase wellness and have a healthier future. For several health-related categories, Kodiak comes up well short of the national average.

For factors relating to health, Kodiak Island had 21 percent of a random sample respond that they smoke every day or most days. That was good enough to rate Kodiak fourth in the state, where the average is 23 percent, but it is behind the national average of just 15 percent.

Kodiak rates poorly for incidences of binge drinking and excessive drinking of alcohol compared to Alaska and the rest of the nation. One quarter of survey respondents said they engaged in binge or excessive drinking in the past month, ranking Kodiak at the bottom, 19th, in Alaska. The national average is just 8 percent.

Counteracting those negative health factors are excellent social and economic numbers. Kodiak has a better high school graduation rate, more people with some college education, a lower unemployment rate, fewer children in poverty, and fewer single-parent households that the rest of the state.

Access to health care statistics are mixed. Kodiak has more primary health providers than average in Alaska or around the nation, but more people — a full 26 percent of adults — have no health insurance.

A large number, 27 percent, of people on Kodiak island reported they didn’t find the social or emotional support they needed. The health report takes into account the social support a person has because poor family support, minimal contact with others and limited involvement in the community are associated with poorer health and earlier death rates.

People without strong social networks are also less likely to choose a healthy lifestyle.

Results of the health study can be found online at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

Mirror writer Wes Hanna can be reached via email at whanna@kodiakdailymirror.com.

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