How healthy is Virginia? Well, not surprisingly, it varies from county to county.
Among the healthiest regions in the state are Albemarle, Prince William, Fairfax and Loudoun counties, according to new data from Health Rankings & Roadmaps, or CHR&R.
The data highlights health factors and measures for counties in Virginia which not surprisingly shows that wealthier areas also appear to be healthier, based on the measures of CHR&R, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Virginia scores at or above the national average for a majority of the measures, including:
- Percentage of workers who drive alone to work (71 percent)
- Access to exercise opportunities (84 percent)
- Unemployment rate among the working-age population (2.9 percent)
This year’s data enables communities in each state to identify opportunities for improvement. The state could improve on obesity rates and drug overdose deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
“Understanding how a county fares in relation to other counties allows for sharing best practices and innovative initiatives to help address common health challenges and to celebrate successes,” said Susan Fischer Davis, M.D., Chief Deputy Commissioner for Community Health Services “This is an exciting and valuable change that will greatly benefit health districts and citizens across Virginia.”
The rankings have been an essential source of data, evidence and guidance for more than a decade, expanding the nation’s understanding of the multiple factors that shape health.
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Crystal Graham
