Access to health insurance, climbing obesity rates and social capital are some of the key topics from the 2015 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey conducted by PHMC’s Community Health Data Base (CHDB).

Individuals with Health Insurance:

The percentage of adults (18-64) insured in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region increased to 93 % in 2015, up from 87.6 %in 2012. Montgomery County had the highest percentage of those with insurance in 2015 at 96.3% followed by Bucks County with 95.4 %, Chester County with 94.5 %, Delaware County with 94.3 %and last was Philadelphia County with 89.9%.

The increase in individuals with insurance in most regions could be attributed to the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act and the variety of insurance options available within the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Obesity: The number of adults who are obese in all five counties increased marginally since 2012. Philadelphia County had the highest percentage of obese adults at 33.3 %, followed by Delaware County at 31.2 %, Bucks County at 28.2 %, Montgomery County at 27.4 %, and Chester County at 22.5 %. In Philadelphia County, Olney/Oak Lane had the highest obesity rate at 40.7 % with a six percent increase from 2012.

Social capital: A series of questions designed to assess social capital, or the expected collective or economic benefits derived from cooperation between individuals and groups was examined. Social capital questions can provide useful insights into the general well-being of a community especially when measured against other indicators. Chester County reported the highest levels of social capital at 20.8 %, followed by Montgomery County (16.1 percent), Bucks County (15.7 %, Delaware County (12.9 %), and Philadelphia County (8.6 %).

Read the full press release and check out this infographic to learn more. For information about the CHDB, contact Francine Axler, CHDB Executive Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 215-985-2521.