The Panhandle’s three northernmost counties rank in the upper tier among Idaho counties of overall health, but has work to do to stay there in the future, according to a new report.

Kootenai County is ranked the highest, sitting at No. 10 out of the 42 counties ranked in the ninth annual "County Health Rankings" published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Boundary County is just behind at No. 11 and Bonner County is No. 15

"We can't be a healthy, thriving nation if we continue to leave entire communities and populations behind," said Richard Besser, a doctor and president and CEO of the foundation.

"Every community should use their County Health Rankings data, work together and find solutions so that all babies, kids and adults — regardless of their race or ethnicity — have the same opportunities to be healthy."

Data from 35 categories of health behaviors, social and economic factors, clinical care, quality of life and physical environment was used to determine the rankings.

Examples include, but are not limited to: deaths before 75 years old, adult smoking and obesity, provider-to-patient ratios, children in poverty, high school graduation, unemployment, access to exercise opportunities, air pollution, driving alone to work, violent crime, alcohol-impaired deaths and social associations.

THE GOOD NEWS

Kootenai County ranked high in clinical care (No. 5) and length of life (No. 10); in the middle of the pack with health behaviors (No. 25) and social and economic factors (No. 21); and low in the physical environment (No. 40) that includes driving alone to work and severe housing problems.

Boundary County ranked high in quality of life (No. 12) and physical environment (No 17); in the middle of the pack with health factors (No. 26 overall and No. 20 for health behaviors); and low in social and economic factors (No. 35).

Bonner County ranked high in quality of life (No. 6), health factors overall (No. 16) as well as health behaviors (No. 4) and clinical care (No. 11); and in the middle to the bottom of the pack for length of life (No. 26), social and economic factors (No. 30), and physical environment (No. 34)

The report states that Kootenai County ranks between the state and national averages with access to primary care physicians with a ratio of 1,260 residents to one. Like Kootenai County, Boundary County also ranks between the two averages with a ratio of 1,410 residents to one. Bonner County ranks well under the national average and just under the state average with a ratio of 1,610 residents to one.

“Although we are still below the national average, Kootenai County ranks well for primary care physicians when compared to the state of Idaho overall," said Kim Anderson, Kootenai Health spokeswoman. "This speaks to our early and ongoing efforts to train, recruit and retain primary care providers in northern Idaho."

In 2014, Kootenai Clinic Family Medicine Coeur d’Alene Residency started with its first class of six residents, she said. From that first class, two of the physicians stayed in Coeur d’Alene. This year, five of the residents are planning to stay in the area to practice.

"The program is on track to graduate six family medicine physicians each year," she said. "With members of each class staying in northern Idaho to provide care for people here, the program is helping improve access to primary care."

Kootenai Health also maintains an active physician recruiting program, she said.

"Research into our population and demographics helps us identify which physician specialties, including primary care, are needed here," Anderson said. "Our physician recruiter works to find providers who will be a good fit for our community and bring them to northern Idaho."

HEALTH DEFICITS

However, access to mental health providers continues to be a challenge for the region as each of the three countiesy ranks below national and state averages. Kootenai County has a ratio of 560 to 1, Boundary County 780 to 1, and Bonner County the highest at 510 to 1.

"Although our community has made great efforts in this area through programs such as the Northern Idaho Crisis Center, this is still an area of need," Anderson said. "Kootenai Health continues to provide the only in-patient care in the five northern counties for children and adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis."

Work is also underway to integrate basic behavioral health services into primary care practices, Anderson said.

"This is an issue of national proportion and certainly won’t be solved overnight," she said.

Other categories Kootenai County ranked below the state and national averages were child living in poverty (19 percent) and adult smoking (16 percent). Bonner County also ranks higher in the number of children living in poverty (23 percent) and adult smoking (14 percent) as does Boundary County, 14 percent of children live in poverty and 14 percent of adults in the county smoke.

Both numbers are concerning and weigh heavy in the rankings, said Jerry Spegman, a community coach for County Health Rankings and Roadmaps.

"There has been improvement with smoking around the country, but this is an indication that more needs to be done," he said. "With children in poverty, if a kid starts out behind, it's hard to catch up."

LOCAL SURVEY

Katherine Hoyer, Panhandle Health District's public information officer, said the report is timely because PHD recently conducted a Community Health Assessment survey that provides stakeholders information to set priorities for the future of health in the community.

"Through the survey and the Robert Wood Johnson report, we have been able to identify health needs in the counties we serve," Hoyer said.

"Now that we have this information and have analyzed the data, we are presenting it to community partners and stakeholders to assess what needs are top priorities. From there, we create action plans to improve those health priorities."

Hoyer said a need agencies will focus on is improving access to medical, dental, mental health services, housing and even food.

"Other themes we see in North Idaho are our aging population, obesity, substance abuse and disease," she said.

On the positive side, Hoyer said, PHD and partners such as CDA 2030, Heritage Health, Kootenai Health and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe are helping to combat the concerns.

"At Panhandle, we offer a Diabetes Prevention Program that is focused on nutrition and physical activity," she said. "Our home health team offers individualized care in the comfort of your home and a senior companion program."

Oral health checks for kids and pregnant women, tobacco cessation and prevention, cancer control and prevention and other health checks are also offered.

The study is being shared with state health departments, public health institutes and other entities.

"Those teams, in turn, are encouraged to share data with their partners around the state," Spegman said.

The study's partners offer online strategies for communities to consider on how to address issues reflected in the data.

"Our children will become more resilient, and grow into stronger, healthier adults with greater economic opportunities if we build communities with quality education, emotional and social support, access to quality health care and safe, affordable and stable housing," the report states.

The rankings are atcountyhealthrankings.org. Ada County ranks as the healthiest in Idaho, while Benewah is the least healthy followed by Shoshone.

The report focuses on counties but a similar report called "America's Health Rankings," produced by the United Health Foundation, ranks Idaho 25th out of 50 states.

Staff writer Caroline Lobsinger contributed to this report. She can be reached at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com or follow her on Twitter@CarolDailyBee.