WV HAS WIDE GAP IN HEALTH RATINGS

(04/06/2010)
Calhoun almost tied with Roane County for the 34th spot in the over-all health ratings of West Virginia's 55 counties.

Clay ranked 44th.

Southern coal counties ranked the worst, with McDowell and Mingo at the bottom.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released the nationwide study, that considers a number of health behaviors, including tobacco use, diet, obesity, unsafe sex, life expectancy and alcohol use.

Calhoun ranks relatively high with access to health care, likely because of Minnie Hamilton Health System and other neighboring county health services.

McDowell County has a rate of premature death nearly twice the state average, with almost 40 percent of residents describing their health as "fair or poor," compared to 22 percent statewide.

The healthiest counties include Monongalia, Pendleton, Ohio, Jefferson and Grant.