State Profile

West Virginia

Population (2019): 1.792 million

West Virginia’s public health outcomes generally lag those of the United States, but it has taken several steps that strengthened its preparedness for public health emergencies. Deaths owed to drug misuse, alcohol, or suicide outpace the country as a whole. Its rates of obesity and related conditions indicate an area of concern, with the percentage of adults with obesity higher than the U.S. median, as rates of diabetes and hypertension rank high. Finally, the state achieved a score of six out of a possible 10 measures of public health preparedness for diseases, disasters, and bioterrorism.