Study Ranks Healthiest Virginia Counties

WINCHESTER, VA - According to a recent health report, counties in northern Virginia are much healthier than those in the southern part of the state. Fairfax County ranks number one, as the healthiest county in Virginia.

"The Fairfax County ranking at number one has to do with many actions that that community has been able to take over years," says Dr. Charles Devine, the health director of the Lord Fairfax Health District.

Locally, for health outcomes Frederick County ranks 26. Clarke County is 27. Warren is 62. The City of Winchester is 81. Devine says population differences can cause numbers to vary from one community to the other, even within a short distance, like Frederick County to Winchester.

"When you have two communities that are next to each other," Devine says, "One relatively rural and one a city, you can see wide disparities in some of the measurements. That can lead to differences in the rankings."

He says the report is accurate and helpful to the local health department. It measures areas according to mortality, employment, obesity, smoking, and low birth rate, among other factors.

"We have more work to do," Devine says. "We'll always have more work to do. I am disappointed that obesity numbers seem to be stable, or even rising some. I'd love to see them fall. I am also concerned about cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is persisting in Virginia."

Devine says locally, teen pregnancy and infant mortality are big issues the community is working to combat.

"We see listed low birth-weight babies," Devine says." Low birth-weight babies at greater risk for infant mortality, greater risk for respiratory problems later in life, at greater risk for other medical problems. Here in the community, we have a coalition between the Health Department, Later Baby and Clean, working on teen pregnancy issues."

Local health department officials say a stronger economy in the northern counties, closer to Washington, contribute to their more favorable numbers.

"The northeastern Virginia area certainly has far more money than the rest of Virginia to use to address problems," Devine says. "Because of that background, many of the factors that are measured in this study will look better in those northeastern communities."

Ultimately, Devine says the report is an eye-opener for local communities about the work that needs to be done. The study was conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

You can read the report and do county-by-county health comparison by clicking here.