How Healthy is Miami County?

Miami County Public Health rolls out a Community Health Assessment

This past week, the Miami County Public Health Board heard a presentation on the 2024 Miami County Community Health Assessment. This assessment that is usually done every few years gives a detailed look at the health of people living in the county. The assessment will play a critical role in developing a Community Health Improvement Plan, in which Miami County Public Health has already started.

The assessment used a special method called MAPP, which involves the community in planning, and in full disclosure, I was part of the steering committee for this effort, along with other leaders of nonprofit and health local organizations, this steering committee guided the process. The Center for Public Policy and Health at Kent State University worked with Miami County Public Health to do a lion’s share of the work on the assessment.

Miami County has about 108,774 people living in it. The county is doing well financially, with low unemployment and relatively strong household incomes. The assessment looked at things that affect health, like jobs, education, healthcare, and community life.

The report found some good things about health in Miami County. For example, more people finish high school compared to the national average. The county also has fewer sexually transmitted infections than Ohio as a whole. Fewer people need to go to the emergency room for asthma problems compared to national goals.

However, there are areas that need improvement. Not enough people are physically active in Miami County. Also, fewer people are using seatbelts now compared to a few years ago.

The assessment pointed out three main health concerns. First, maternal health needs attention. Not enough mothers are getting prenatal care early in their pregnancies. Premier’s Health to remove labor and delivery services from the Upper Valley Medical Center isn’t going to help. Second, mental health is a worry. While there are more mental health providers now than in the past, there still aren't enough providers for the number of people in the county. Third, chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes are problems that need to be addressed.

The report also talks about health equity, which means making sure everyone has a fair chance to be healthy. It shows that some areas near Troy and Piqua might need extra help because they face more challenges.

Miami County has many strengths. People in the community get along well, there's not much crime, and the air quality is good. But there are also challenges. People need better access to transportation, mental health services, and care for mothers and children. The county also needs to work on preventing and managing chronic diseases.

This health assessment gives Miami County a roadmap for making health better in the future. It shows where to focus efforts and resources. The county can use this information to make plans that will help everyone in the community be healthier.

To move forward, Miami County will need to work on several things. They should try to get more mothers early prenatal care. The county will need to find ways to bring in more mental health providers. Programs to prevent and manage chronic diseases, especially high blood pressure and diabetes, are also going to be vitally important. The county should also encourage people to be more physically active and use seatbelts more often.

In conclusion, the 2024 Miami County Community Health Assessment gives the clearest picture of health in the county. It shows both the good things and the areas that need work. By using this information and working together, the people of Miami County can create a healthier community for everyone.

A New Way to Support This Work

Our readers and subscribers have been asking for a new way to support the work being done here at Civic Capacity! Some of our readers do not like the idea of having to sign up for another subscription service. Some of our subscribers occasionally want to give more support through a one-time transaction.

Civic Capacity is partnering with “Buy Me A Coffee” to give our readers, subscribers and friends an opportunity to give one-time support to Civic Capacity. Personally, I don’t like coffee, but I will never turn down a nice iced tea. If you feel compelled to support this effort, just click the button below.

Thanks for reading today’s Civic Capacity Newsletter! Please feel free to share this information with your friends and neighbors.

Also, please consider subscribing to our work. If you are a free subscriber, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. For less than $1 a week, you can get timely and conversational updates about the decisions that are impacting you and your community!