Residents of Grays Harbor County have shorter lifespans than any other county in the state. Local health officials say the key to reversing the trend is focusing on the early development of children age 2 and younger, instructing the parents of young kids how to spot the signs of normal childhood development and giving those parents the tools to provide their children with an environment that will lead to a healthier lifestyle as they grow.
“What we have to do is look below the surface, and the underlying, real causes of premature death,” said Grays Harbor Public Health and Social Services Director Karolyn Holder. “We’re looking at what’s behind the causes of unhealthy behavior.”
The life expectancy for men and women in Grays Harbor County was 76.61 years in 2014, compared to the state average of 79.99 years and the national average of 79.08. The county’s life expectancy actually dropped by .05 years from 76.66 in 2013, a rare decline after decades of slight improvement.
The study calculates the average life span and also points out the risk factors that can lead to an early death for each county in the nation.
[For more of this story, written by Dan Hammock, go to http://www.thedailyworld.com/n...ooted-early-in-life/]
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