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.

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Programs and Policies

Programs and policies implemented at the local, state, and federal levels can have an impact on population health in a variety of ways. Programs and policies may be designed to target health outcomes directly, or by tackling the variety of factors that determine those outcomes. They can focus on downstream factors, such as ensuring that children are immunized at appropriate times or changing individuals’ diet and exercise behaviors. Or, they can focus on more upstream factors, such as encouraging college attendance or stimulating economic development.   

Understanding your county’s actual rankings is only one component of mobilizing action toward community health: it is our hope that you use that information to create and implement evidence-informed programs and policies that improve your community’s health. Toward that end, as a starting point for your consideration, we have compiled lists of specific programs and policies that have been found to work in particular focus areas. We also provide links to several general sources of evidence about programs and policies to improve health, such as the Guide to Community Preventive Services.