Manatee is the 14th healthiest county in Florida

With walkable neighborhoods and pickleball courts popping up all over, it’s not surprising Manatee County ranks as the 14th healthiest county out of Florida's 67 counties.

For a state best known for retirement planning, a more surprising number is that the population of 65 and older is 21.1%, not much higher than the population of 18 and under, which is 19.7%. 

Countrywide assessments are conducted every three to five years, locally by the Manatee HealthCare Alliance. The information was gathered for the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program through the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. 

The recent Manatee County profile was partially developed through a survey conducted by the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County.

One of the results found by the survey is that the public considers the county's three most unhealthy behaviors to be adult drug and medication abuse, criminal activity, and being overweight. 

The five most important health problems identified in the survey were addiction, mental health issues, drug abuse and overdosing, aging problems, and motor vehicle crash injuries. 

“A Community Health Assessment, which falls under the assessment function of public health, provides the overall health status of a community through data visualizations and narratives,” said Anastasia Peele, a health educator consultant at the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, through an email. “A Community Health Improvement Plan, which falls under the policy development and assurance functions of public health, uses the data in the CHA to prioritize strategic issues, develop and implement projects and activities, and establish accountability to measure plan progress.”

With the United States Census Bureau's latest population estimate for Manatee County at 429,125 in July 2022, less than 1% of residents participated in the study. 

Health surveys were advertised using media outlets, social media, community events and public partners, but only 740 Manatee County residents responded. There were also 24 focus group participants and 14 key informant interviews. 

Key informants represent agencies or a population of people to increase representation for the community, and focus group participants range in age from youths to seniors.  

The last time an assessment was performed was in 2020. The results were compiled into the 2021-2023 CHIP. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, communicable diseases were among the top concerns for residents, along with behavioral health, youth development and healthy living. 

A term such as healthy living is broad, so that gets honed into a purpose: “To address obesity, nutrition and diabetes in Manatee County." From there, goals and objectives are set.

Manatee County compiled a list of achievements that resulted from the 2021-2023 CHIP that includes a grant for a pilot coordinated care system, programming that has led to an increase in overdose survival rates and the recent salary increase for teachers. 

How do teacher salaries fit into a health assessment?

“These are achievements that have happened in the county and the CHIP highlights them,” Peele responded. “The Community Themes and Strengths Assessment in the CHA identifies assets in the community and issues that are important to community members. It answers the questions: What is important to the community? How is quality of life perceived in the community? What assets does the community have that can be used to improve community health?”

While Peele declined to comment on the specific programming that led to higher overdose survival rates in her response, she offered up a slew of statistics via the Substance Abuse Dashboard and encouraged anyone struggling to visit ManateeCountyFlorida.now.site/home, which lists local partners who are ready to help.

Standing out among the dashboard’s statistics is the steady rise of naloxone use during emergencies. In 2019, naloxone was administered by Manatee County Emergency Medical Services 725 times. In 2022, it was administered 1,178 times. 

According to the Center for Disease Control, “Naloxone quickly reverses an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids. It can restore normal breathing within 2 to 3 minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose.”

Now that the results are in for 2023, the work begins. The Health Improvement Planning Unit will start working on the CHIP on July 27. It will be available to the public by January.