Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Story Archives - Page 2 of 3

Obesity Rate Increases in W.Va. Children from Low-Income Families

Obesity rates among West Virginia children in low-income families have increased by 2 percent from 2010 to 2014.

West Virginia’s obesity rate among young children from low-income families increased from 14.4 percent in 2010 to 16.4 percent in 2014, according to the national Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The study was published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Obesity rates, however, significantly decreased in 31 states and three territories. Those rates however, did increase significantly in Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia among 2 to 4 year-olds enrolled in WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

West Virginia’s obesity rate is ninth highest in the nation.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.

McDowell Ranked as Least Healthy County in W.Va.

A new ranking of West Virginia Counties based on health outcomes shows Jefferson County ranks among the best and McDowell among the worst.

According to County Health Rankings – released Wednesday, March 16, by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin – West Virginia’s top five healthiest counties are Jefferson, Putnam, Monongalia, Pleasants, and Tucker. And the counties with the poorest health outcomes, beginning with the least healthy, are McDowell, Wyoming, Mingo, Logan, and Mercer.

Aliana Havrilla is a Community Coach with County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. She says rural counties, like those listed as the least healthy, have higher rates of smoking, obesity, child poverty, and teen births than their urban counterparts.

“One of the key findings was that the premature death rate is higher in rural areas and has been on the rise for more than a decade, and this is an urgent issue, because, not only in West Virginia, but in two-thirds of all counties in the U.S. are rural geography,” Havrilla said.

Havrilla says there is a silver-lining however. She says by knowing these rankings, counties can work to improve their health outcomes.

“It’s an opportunity to invite new partners to the table, think about health broadly,” she noted, “So pull together leaders in education, business, and community development to think about what opportunities exist to take action.”

For more information on the state’s health rankings, visit countyhealthrankings.org.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.

Health Impact Project Announces Grants for Seven Southern and Appalachian States

Seven southern and Appalachian states, including West Virginia, received Health Impact Project grants yesterday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts to promote health in southern and Appalachian states.

The goal is to fund projects aimed at addressing health inequities in southern and Appalachian states.

Organizations in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and West Virginia each received funding. Each grantee is tasked with developing an evidence-based action plan for addressing the social, economic and environmental factors that lead to disparities in health outcomes from one population to another.

In West Virginia, Williamson Health and Wellness Center received the grant. According to the press release, the health center will try to use community-led tourism and economic development to launch new outdoor recreation businesses such as kayaking tours and biking and running competitions. The hope is to improve both employment and physical activity opportunities in Williamson.

The projects’ development is funded through October of 2016 at which time the grantees should be prepared to launch their respective initiatives.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.

W.Va. Ranks Highest in the Nation in Preventable Deaths, Report Says

Despite taking many steps to prevent injuries, West Virginia ranks highest for the number of injury-related deaths in the United States. That’s according to a new report published this week that looks state-by-state at injury prevention policy.

Many of the injury-related deaths that put West Virginia in the lead nationally are attributed to drug overdoses, according to data compiled by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH). The organization published the new report along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Its title: The Facts Hurt: A State-By-State Injury Prevention Policy Report

“Injuries are not just acts of fate. Research show they are pretty predictable and they are actually very preventable,” said TFAH Executive Director, Jeff Levy on a conference call discussing his organization’s new report.

“Overall, West Virginia has the highest rate of injury-deaths at 97.9 deaths per 100,000 people. New York the lowest at 40.3 deaths per 100,000 people.”

Levy said West Virginia has implemented policies very recently that will hopefully help curb those numbers in coming years – perhaps most importantly, policies to address the drug epidemic the state and nation face. More specifically, a new law went into effect last month, the Opioid Antagonist Act, which expands access to the overdose-counteracting drug Naloxone, allowing addicts and family members the ability to purchase the medicine through a prescription. Levy says drug overdoses became the leading cause of injury-related death in the nation about four years ago, surpassing motor vehicle deaths. Almost half of drug-related deaths are from prescription pill overdoses.

“Prescription drug abuse is a national epidemic,” Levy said, “but it impacts some states much more than others. West Virginia had the highest number of overdose and poisoning deaths. 33.5 per 100,000 people.”

But while more than 2 million Americans misuse drugs, the report says, there are a myriad of other ways to die by injury such as motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides. The report also points to traumatic brain injuries, warning that TBIs from sports and recreation among children have increased by 60 percent in the last decade. And one in three Americans older than 64 experiences a serious fall each year. While falls aren’t often fatal, they can lead to fatal complications and are a major concern in a state like West Virginia with an aging population. And increases in falls nationwide are anticipated as the Baby Boomer generation ages.

The Facts Hurt says preventable accidents cost the U.S. billions of dollars in medical care that could be better spent on other critical matters in the state and nation, like education and infrastructure projects.

Tipping The Scale Again, West Virginia Is The Most Obese State

According to the latest data, West Virginia's adult obesity rate is tied with Mississippi for the highest in the country at 35.1%. Colorado has the lowest…

According to the latest data, West Virginia’s adult obesity rate is tied with Mississippi for the highest in the country at 35.1%. Colorado has the lowest rate at 21.3 percent.

The annual report is produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health.

In addition to being the most obese state, West Virginia is also the state with the highest percentage of people who do not exercise.

Among high schoolers, West Virginia ranks sixth, with 13 percent of those students obese.

The study finds across the country, every state has an obesity rate above 20 percent.

Officials at the foundation say these obesity rates put Americans at risk for a range of health problems and add a major burden to national healthcare costs. The report warns if obesity rates are not brought down, this generation of children may be the first in U.S. history to live sicker and die younger than their parents.

Its data shows West Virginia also has the second highest diabetes rate in the country at 13 percent.

Coalfield Town Nationally Recognized for Health Improvement Work

A West Virginia town is being recognized for its efforts and accomplishments to improve health. Williamson has implemented several programs over the past…

A West Virginia town is being recognized for its efforts and accomplishments to improve health. Williamson has implemented several programs over the past several years.

Williamson is one of six winners of $25,000 through the Robert Wood Johnson’s Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize. Here’s a full list of the winning towns (in no particular order):

Williamson, West Virginia
Buncombe County, North Carolina
Brownsville, Texas
Durham County, North Carolina
Spokane County, Washington
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico.

The towns were selected from more than 250 applicants from across the country. The winners have made significant accomplishments in building a national Culture of Health.
The coalfield town in Mingo County has worked to improve health and expand economic development with several initiatives including:

A community garden built next to a low-income housing facility offers at-risk residents an opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables.
Monthly 5k races
Lunch walk program

The Robert Wood Johnson’s Foundation (RWJF) is looking for next year’s winners of the Culture of Health Prize.
The RWJF Culture of Health Prize was launched to further the work of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps help communities understand the many factors that influence health and identify strategies community leaders can take to improve health.

The Robert Wood Johnson’s Foundation (RWJF) is looking for next year’s winners of the Culture of Health Prize. Find out more by visiting the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) website.