When you measure health outcomes by looking at premature death, poor or fair health, poor physical health days, poor mental health days and low birth weight, you find Boone County, West Virginia ranks among the worst in the state of West Virginia. A new 2013 study by “The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps” ranks Boone County 51st out of 55 counties in the state in health outcomes. Only McDowell (55th), Wyoming (54th), Mingo (53rd) and Logan (52nd) ranked worse. “Where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors, including the environment, education and jobs, access to and quality of healthcare, and individual behavior,” the study said. “We can improve a community’s health by implementing effective policies and programs. For example, people who live in communities with smoke‐free laws are less likely to smoke or to be exposed to second‐hand smoke, which reduces lung cancer risk. In addition, people who live in communities with safe and accessible park and recreation space are more likely to exercise, which reduces heart disease risk.” The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program provides information on the overall health of communities and provides the tools necessary to create community‐based, evidence‐informed solutions. “In this model, health outcomes are measures that describe the current health status of a county,” the study said. “These health outcomes are influenced by a set of health factors. Counties can improve health outcomes by addressing all health factors with effective, evidence‐informed policies and programs.” “Everyone has a stake in community health. We all need to work together to find solutions. The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps serve as both a call to action and a needed tool in this effort,” the study concluded. The county-by-county study can be found online at http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/west-virginia/2013/compare-counties/ Boone County Error Margin West Virginia National Benchmark* Trend Rank (51 of 55) Health Outcomes 51 Mortality 51 Premature death 12,529 10,993-14,066 9,351 5,317 Morbidity 49 Poor or fair health 30% 26-35% 22% 10% Poor physical health days 6.8 5.6-8.0 4.9 2.6 Poor mental health days 5.8 4.8-6.9 4.4 2.3 Low birthweight 10.3% 9.0-11.5% 9.4% 6.0% Health Factors 40 Health Behaviors 48 Adult smoking 31% 26-37% 26% 13% Adult obesity 35% 30-40% 33% 25% Physical inactivity 41% 36-47% 33% 21% Excessive drinking 10% 7-14% 10% 7% Motor vehicle crash death rate 35 27-45 20 10 Sexually transmitted infections 142 209 92 Teen birth rate 68 61-75 45 21 Clinical Care 32 Uninsured 15% 13-17% 17% 11% Primary care physicians** 2,734:1 1,310:1 1,067:1 Dentists** 4,948:1 2,305:1 1,516:1 Preventable hospital stays 144 129-159 99 47 Diabetic screening 85% 77-94% 83% 90% Mammography screening 55% 46-65% 61% 73% Social & Economic Factors 22 High school graduation** 76% 78% Some college 36% 31-42% 51% 70% Unemployment 7.4% 8.0% 5.0% Children in poverty 27% 20-34% 26% 14% Inadequate social support 17% 13-21% 19% 14% Children in single-parent households 24% 18-30% 30% 20% Violent crime rate 262 298 66 Physical Environment 20 Daily fine particulate matter 12.5 12.4-12.6 12.6 8.8 Drinking water safety 0% 2% 0% Access to recreational facilities 0 7 16 Limited access to healthy foods** 1% 6% 1% Fast food restaurants 50% 52% 27% * 90th percentile, i.e., only 10% are better. ** Data should not be compared with prior years due to changes in definition. (Note: Blank values reflect unreliable or missing data.)