West Virginia

RANKING: West Virginia is 43rd this year; it was 41st in 2005.

STRENGTHS: Strengths include a low violent crime rate at 273 offenses per 100,000 population, a low incidence of infectious disease at 10.7 cases per 100,000 population and ready access to adequate prenatal care with 81.1 percent of pregnant women receiving adequate prenatal care.

CHALLENGES: Challenges include a high prevalence of smoking at 26.7 percent of the population, a high prevalence of obesity at 30.6 percent of the population, many poor mental and physical health days per month at 4.5 days and 5.2 days respectively in the previous 30 days, a high rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease at 383.6 deaths per 100,000 population and a high rate of cancer deaths at 225.5 deaths per 100,000 population.

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES:

In the past year, immunization coverage decreased from 86.6 percent to 74.9 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.

In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty increased from 18.0 percent to 21.4 percent of persons under age 18.

Since 1990, the violent crime rate increased from 138 to 273 offenses per 100,000 population.

Since 1990, the rate of uninsured population increased from 13.6 percent to 17.9 percent.

HEALTH DISPARITIES: In West Virginia, the percentage of women who receive prenatal care varies from 67 percent among Native Americans to 87 percent among whites. Cancer is 52 percent more prevalent among whites (474.8 cases per 100,000 population) than Hispanics (312.6 cases per 100,000 population).

CLINICAL CARE: The cost of clinical care in West Virginia is low compared to other states and the quality of care is high.

STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WEB SITE:
www.wvdhhr.org/


Download this state report as a PDF file
 

 

West Virginia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

1990

 

DETERMINANTS - PERSONAL BEHAVIORS

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Value

Rank

Prevalence of Smoking (Percent of population)

26.7

47

26.8

49

34.0

45

Motor Vehicle Deaths (Deaths per 100,000,000 miles driven)

1.8

34

2.0

39

3.2

47

Prevalence of Obesity (Percent of population)

30.6↑

48

27.6

48

15.0

49

High School Graduation (Percent of incoming ninth graders)

75.7↑

27

74.2

29

77.1*

22

DETERMINANTS - COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Violent Crime (Offenses per 100,000 population)

273

13

271

14

138

1

Occupational Fatalities (Deaths per 100,000 workers)

10.0↑

43

7.3

40

15*

45

Infectious Disease (Cases per 100,000 population)

10.7

16

10.3

15

14.5

7

Children in Poverty (Percent of persons under age 18)

21.4↑

44

18.0

30

27.8

47

DETERMINANTS - PUBLIC & HEALTH POLICY

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lack of Health Insurance (Percent without health insurance)

17.9↑

41

16.4

35

13.6

32

Per Capita Public Health Spending ($ per person)

$ 95

39

$95

39

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Immunization Coverage (Percent of children ages 19 to 35 months)

74.9↓

46

86.6

5

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---

DETERMINANTS - PUBLIC & HEALTH POLICY

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adequacy of Prenatal Care (Percent of pregnant women)

81.1

10

80.1

14

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HEALTH OUTCOMES

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poor Mental Health Days (Days in previous 30 days)

4.5

49

4.5

50

---

---

Poor Physical Health Days (Days in previous 30 days)

5.2

50

5.2

50

---

---

Infant Mortality (Deaths per 1,000 live births)

7.3

34

6.9

28

10.0

27

Cardiovascular Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population)

383.6

47

382.6

46

460.8

50

Cancer Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population)

225.5

49

227.0

49

208.7

37

Premature Death (Years lost per 100,000 population)

9,384

44

9,563

44

9,228

40

OVERALL RANK

 

43

 

41

 

40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

↑ and ↓ indicate major increases and decreases in the last year. --- indicates data not available.