The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors - ranging from health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment.

Home › Our Approach ›
Print

Health Outcomes

Health outcomes in the County Health Rankings represent how healthy a county is. We measure two types of health outcomes: how long people live (mortality) and how healthy people feel while alive (morbidity). 

Mortality

We examine mortality (or death) data to find out how long people live. More specifically, we measure what are known as premature deaths (deaths before age 75).
Premature Death

Morbidity

Morbidity is the term that refers to how healthy people feel while alive. Specifically, we report on the measures of their health-related quality of life (their overall health, their physical health, their mental health) and we also look at birth outcomes (in this case, babies born with a low birthweight).
Birth Outcomes
Health-related Quality of Life