Health & Childcare

Insurance Coverage

Happily, the rate of uninsured residents within Northwest Illinois is low in all six counties compared to Illinois and the United States. An insured population is a healthier population. However, even insured individuals will forgo healthcare if copay costs or deductible limits are burdensome.

Note: Numbers in the Tooltip marked with † have a margin of error is at least 10 percent of the total value of the estimate. Take care with these statistics.

Source: US Census, ACS 2022 5-year

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Mental health and substance abuse programming can help individuals thrive and participate in family and community life. The number of persons per provider in Lee County is exceptional, perhaps due to the presence of Sinnissippi Centers. Shown below is the ratio of persons per mental health provider as well as the rates of death by drug overdose and suicide. While the availability of providers can contribute towards lower death rates, it is not a panacea.

Note: Numbers in the Tooltip marked with † have a margin of error is at least 10 percent of the total value of the estimate. Take care with these statistics.

Source: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

Note: Numbers in the Tooltip marked with † have a margin of error is at least 10 percent of the total value of the estimate. Take care with these statistics.

Source: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

Premature Deaths

Premature deaths include people that have died under the age of 75 and can be a sign that a community is lacking in preventative health measures, such as access to nutritious food and medical care, a clean environment, and programs that promote exercise. In 2022, every BHRC county except Jo Daviess County had a higher rate of premature deaths than the state and a higher or equal rate compared to the United States.

While mortality looks at all lives lost before 75, years of potential life lost focuses on younger persons. Even though the mortality rate for Carroll and Stephenson counties are both 390, Stephenson County sees 1,000 more years of life lost than Carroll County. This likely means that in Stephenson County, premature deaths are among the young.

Note: Data for premature deaths has been age adjusted. This accounts for the differences in age distribution, meaning the rates between locations are comparable.

Traffic Fatalities

Traffic fatalities are a timely concern. The first quarter of 2022 had the highest number of first-quarter traffic fatalities since 2002. The following data shows various statistics related to traffic crashes from 2018 to 2022. Fatality rate is the average annual fatalities per 100,000 population. It is calculated by taking the average fatalities from 2018 to 2022, dividing by the population from the ACS 2022 5-year, and multiplying by 100,000.

Of the 102 counties in Illinois, BHRC counties rank in the middle for fatality rate from 2018 to 2022. Lee County is the highest of all six, placing 47th, whereas Stephenson County, in 75th place, has the lowest.

Updated data shows traffic crashes from 2019 to 2023. The fatality rate decreased for Carroll and Lee counties and increased for all other counties in the region. Ogle County's rate ranks highest in Northwest Illinois and places 40th in the state. Lee County's rate, the highest from 2018 to 2022, now places lowest in Northwest Illinois and 73rd in the state.

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation, County Crash Statistics

Childcare

Access to childcare services is essential to supporting families and employers. Parents or guardians are less available when childcare is lacking, limiting the types of jobs and number of hours they can work. The dashboard below displays the total number of childcare facilities in the region as well as the combined capacity of each type of facility.

Note: Definitions for child care center, licensed, and licensed-exempt can be found on the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map website.

Source: University of Illinois, Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map Database; University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

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