Westchester ranked 1st for healthy behavior out of 62 counties statewide, according to the results released in March by the fourth annual national county health ranking survey by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The county ranked 7th in overall health outcomes.

The survey shows how counties in New York compare to one another in terms of how healthy people are; how long they live; how their health is affected by factors such as tobacco use, obesity and access to healthcare; and, in the case of healthy behavior, how they engage in activities that promote good health.  It was developed by the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

"Educating the public about healthy lifestyle choices is one of the primary roles of our health department," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "These results show that we're getting the message out."

One area that the county is working to improve is timely and consistent prenatal care.

"Low birth weight continues to trouble us," said Sherlita Amler, MD, commissioner of health. "Its complex causes include delayed or no prenatal care, preterm deliveries by pregnant women who are overweight and have high blood pressure, and elective cesareans performed before the fetus has reached full term."

The county is addressing the problem by working with the Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network. Since 2009, the county has been using a "Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby" grant from the state to improve birth outcomes for Medicaid eligible pregnant and postpartum women and their newborns. The program includes outreach, referrals to prenatal care providers, coordination of care and connections to home visits by nurses and community health workers. With the next grant, the county plans to enhance these services by adding a web-based tool that will enable healthcare providers to send home health agencies electronic referrals. This will quickly connect patients with help for mental health concerns, domestic violence, substance abuse and other health and social needs.

For more information, visit the Westchester County Department of Health's Web site at www.westchestergov.com/health or call (914) 813-5000.