What are the Implications for Women’s Health?

Women are far more likely to live in poverty than men – and, as the Rankings have shown us, poverty leads to poorer health outcomes.

Yesterday, Women’s Policy, Inc. hosted a lunch briefing on the County Health Rankings to discuss their implications for women’s health. Women’s Policy, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization that helps ensure that the most informed decisions on key women's issues are made by policy-makers.

Abbey Cofsky of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation moderated the panel which featured Bridget Catlin, Director of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps; Claude-Alix Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Sue Grinnell Office Director, Office of Healthy Communities, Prevention & Community Health Division at the Washington Department of Health.

Jacob described some of the strong programs in Cambridge to promote family health, like the “baby university” program—a free 16 month program that teaches new parents skills to keep their children safe. It includes home visits, rides to and from the program, and education-focused toys for families.

Congresswomen Jaime Herrera Beutler and Lois Capps were also in attendance. Beutler, who represents Washington's 3rd congressional district, said she uses the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program as a starting point to improve the health and well-being of the people she serves.

• Check out materials presented at the event
• Watch Cambridge's video and read their story
• Read the storify recap of the event