WEST VIRGINIA
Ranking:
West Virginia is 44th this year; it was 43rd
in 2006.
Strengths:
Strengths include a low prevalence of binge drinking at 11.1
percent of the population, a low violent crime rate at 280
offenses per 100,000 population, a low incidence of infectious
disease at 10.5 cases per 100,000 population and ready access to
adequate prenatal care with 81.1 percent of pregnant women
receiving adequate prenatal care. West Virginia ranks higher for
health determinants than for health outcomes, indicating that
overall healthiness should improve over time.
Challenges:
Challenges include a high prevalence of smoking at 25.7 percent of
the population, a high prevalence of obesity at 31.0 percent of
the population, many poor mental and physical health days per
month at 4.4 days and 5.2 days respectively in the previous 30
days, a high rate of cancer deaths at 225.9 deaths per 100,000
population and a high rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease
at 374.8 deaths per 100,000 population.
Significant
Changes:
↓ In the past
year, the rate of uninsured population decreased from 16.9 percent
to 13.5 percent.
↑ In the past
year, the occupational fatalities rate increased from 10.0 to 11.2
deaths per 100,000 workers.
↑ Since 1990,
the violent crime rate increased from 138 to 280 offenses per
100,000 population.
↓ Since 1990,
the incidence of infectious disease decreased from 14.5 to 10.5
cases per 100,000 population.
Health
Disparities:
In West
Virginia, blacks experience 33 percent more premature death than
whites. Deaths from cancer in the state are 16 percent more
prevalent among blacks than whites. Residents in non-urban areas
of the state experience 23 percent more premature death than
residents in the fringe counties of large metropolitan areas.
State
Health Department Web Site:
www.wvdhhr.org/
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