I recently discovered a document that shocked and rocked me. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation along with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute recently published the 2011 County Health Rankings for the State of Ohio.

What disturbed me was, when compared to all 88 counties in the state, Lawrence County ranks dead last in the health behaviors and morbidity categories.

We rank 82nd in premature mortality rate. We fair some better in the clinical care access category where we come in at 69th and in the social and economic factors we improve our standing to land at 56th.

We do best in the physical environment category where we rank 51st. Collectively, Lawrence County ranks at the bottom of all counties when it comes to overall health outcomes (88th) and health factors (85th).

The categories are important to all of us. The health behaviors category includes diet, exercise, high risk sexual behavior, plus alcohol and tobacco use.

Mortality charts age at death rate while morbidity tracks physical and mental health status along with birth weight statistics. Access to clinical care follows the actual availability and quality of health care.

The socioeconomic factors include education, employment, income, family and social support along with community safety.

Physical environment covers air quality, recreational opportunities and availability of healthy foods.

All of this information reveals that where we live matters to the status of our health. The health of our county (or the lack thereof) depends on these various factors.

Further research reveals that Lawrence County, per capita, has one of the highest rates of tobacco use in the nation, a higher than normal cancer rate and an excessive rate in heart disease.

The data demonstrate that large differences exist in the health standards across the counties in Ohio. Some counties provide a safer, healthier place to live.

This ranking provides a snapshot of the overall health status of the county and the factors that determine quality of life.

Everyone has a stake in the health of the folk in our county.

The County Health Rankings serve as a call to action.

We must change the way we approach health practices in our county, work together and take action to improve the status of health in Lawrence County for our children, our development and our own personal health.

I propose we convene a Lawrence County Health Summit, bringing together the county leaders of business, government, health care providers, county health services, and education in order to address this dire situation by creating an action plan to improve our standing in the county health rankings and improve our health perspectives.

We need to do this for all citizens of our county. It’s a matter of life and death. If you seek more information, go to www.countyhealthrankings.org/ohio.

Dave Lucas is a professor at Ohio University Southern.