Dr. Marsha Davis, Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement, recently commented in an article by Georgia Health News on the release of the 2014 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps.

The County Health Rankings, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, rank the overall health of nearly every county in all 50 states. For information on your county go to: https://www.countyhealthrankings.org.

Marsha Davis, associate dean at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, said Wednesday that suburban counties have greater access to health care, healthy food and physical activity opportunities than rural areas.

“Throughout Georgia, chronic disease and health risk factors like smoking, physical inactivity and access to health care are significant public health issues,’’ Davis said. “Most striking is that health outcomes and factors affecting our health differ widely through the state.”

To close the gaps between counties, she added, the state’s public health system needs to be strengthened.

Posted March 27, 2014.