The second annual County Health Rankings report, released Wednesday, also shows that Dukes and Middlesex counties were ranked second and third respectively.
Health car study releasedBOSTON (AP) — A survey comparing the overall health in counties across Massachusetts shows Nantucket has the state's healthiest population, while Hampden County residents are more likely to struggle with premature deaths, preventable hospital stays and fewer primary care providers.
The second annual County Health Rankings report, released Wednesday, also shows that Dukes and Middlesex counties were ranked second and third respectively.
Hampshire County ranked fifth, Franklin County ranked seventh, Worcester County ranked tenth while Berkshire County ranked number 11 on the list.
Suffolk County, which includes Boston, again came in second to last — just ahead of Bristol.
Researchers analyzed health records from each of Massachusetts' 14 counties and then ranked them in categories like mortality, health behaviors, access to clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment.
The report by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is intended to help policy makers drill down and compare conditions and health factors in their state.
To read the full report, click here.