Oklahoma County ranks near the middle in health study

Tulsa County ranked No. 24 in health outcomes and No. 28 in health factors.

Health outcome rankings are based on mortality and morbidity, or death and sickness. Health factor rankings are based on social and economic, behavioral, clinical and environmental factors, according to the report.

The rankings are based on research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health.

Last year, Oklahoma County ranked No. 30 in health outcomes and No. 30 in health factors.

This year, the top five counties in health outcomes were Cleveland, Texas, Canadian, Payne and Beaver. The top five counties in health factors were Major, Cleveland, Ellis, Woods and McClain.

About 20 percent of Oklahoma's population lives in Oklahoma County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and about 16 percent lives in Tulsa County.

Where people live matters, and it has a big impact on health, said Gary Cox, the Oklahoma City-County Health Department director.

The two things that are most consistent predictors of poor health are poverty and educational attainment, which are closely related as well, Cox said.