Counties with the highest diabetes rate in Alabama
Published 4:25 pm Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Canva
Counties with the highest diabetes rate in Alabama
Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Alabama with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Tallapoosa County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
— Quality of life rank: #51
— Length of life rank: #35
– Estimated county population: 40,133
Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Coosa County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
— Quality of life rank: #53
— Length of life rank: #55
– Estimated county population: 10,650
Chris Pruitt // wikicommons
#23. Montgomery County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
— Quality of life rank: #25
— Length of life rank: #19
– Estimated county population: 224,639
Kreeder13 // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Pike County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
— Quality of life rank: #28
— Length of life rank: #39
– Estimated county population: 32,966
Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Chambers County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #39
— Quality of life rank: #47
— Length of life rank: #29
– Estimated county population: 32,865
Idawriter // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Washington County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
— Quality of life rank: #50
— Length of life rank: #15
– Estimated county population: 15,976
Rivers Langley SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Russell County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
— Quality of life rank: #34
— Length of life rank: #37
– Estimated county population: 58,237
Canva
#18. Escambia County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #50
— Quality of life rank: #46
— Length of life rank: #53
– Estimated county population: 36,281
Canva
#17. Marengo County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
— Quality of life rank: #48
— Length of life rank: #62
– Estimated county population: 18,733
RuralSWAlabama (Billy Milstead) // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Choctaw County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #49
— Quality of life rank: #49
— Length of life rank: #44
– Estimated county population: 12,418
Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Monroe County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #54
— Quality of life rank: #52
— Length of life rank: #56
– Estimated county population: 20,459
Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Butler County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
— Quality of life rank: #54
— Length of life rank: #51
– Estimated county population: 19,504
Public Domain
#13. Pickens County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
— Quality of life rank: #56
— Length of life rank: #22
– Estimated county population: 19,793
Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons
#12. Clarke County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #60
— Quality of life rank: #58
— Length of life rank: #57
– Estimated county population: 23,291
Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Conecuh County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #63
— Quality of life rank: #59
— Length of life rank: #63
– Estimated county population: 11,851
Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Hale County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 16% (4 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
— Quality of life rank: #57
— Length of life rank: #54
– Estimated county population: 14,670
Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Barbour County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 17% (5 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
— Quality of life rank: #60
— Length of life rank: #52
– Estimated county population: 24,589
DXR // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Dallas County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 17% (5 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #62
— Quality of life rank: #62
— Length of life rank: #61
– Estimated county population: 36,098
Mccallk69 // Shutterstock
#7. Macon County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 18% (6 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #59
— Quality of life rank: #55
— Length of life rank: #58
– Estimated county population: 17,895
Canva
#6. Sumter County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 18% (6 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #61
— Quality of life rank: #61
— Length of life rank: #60
– Estimated county population: 12,225
Canva
#5. Bullock County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 18% (6 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #51
— Quality of life rank: #63
— Length of life rank: #34
– Estimated county population: 9,976
Altairisfar // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Lowndes County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 18% (6 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #65
— Quality of life rank: #64
— Length of life rank: #66
– Estimated county population: 9,641
Canva
#3. Perry County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 19% (7 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #64
— Quality of life rank: #65
— Length of life rank: #65
– Estimated county population: 8,687
Canva
#2. Wilcox County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 19% (7 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #67
— Quality of life rank: #66
— Length of life rank: #67
– Estimated county population: 10,206
Canva
#1. Greene County
– Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 21% (9 points higher than state percentage)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
— Quality of life rank: #67
— Length of life rank: #59
– Estimated county population: 7,990