An Analysis of Disparities in Health 

Status and Access to Health Care in 

the Appalachian Region 

Executive Summary 

September 2004 

Prepared for 

The Appalachian Regional Commission 

Washington, D.C. 

by 

Joel A. Halverson 

Lin Ma 

E. James Harner 

West Virginia University 

 

 

 

 
Executive Summary 

An Analysis of Disparities in Health Status and Access to Health Care 

in the Appalachian Region 

A Report by Joel Halverson, West Virginia University, 

for the Appalachian Regional Commission 

September 2004 

Introduction

This study was commissioned by the Appalachian Regional Commission in order 

to compile standardized, baseline information regarding health disparities in the region. 

Health disparities result from differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and 

burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific 

population groups. This study provides baseline information needed to assess health 

disparities in the region, to investigate causes of regional and local disparities, and to aid 

in developing targeted interventions aimed at reducing disparities and improve the overall 

health of the region. 

The data and analyses presented in this report identify significant disparities in 

health status between the Appalachian region and non-Appalachian U.S., with the 

Appalachian region generally experiencing more adverse health outcomes. However, not 

all areas or population subgroups within the Appalachian region experience the same

level of adverse health status. The reasons for geographic and demographic variability in 

health status are not clear; however a number of factors may contribute to geographic and 

demographic disparities in health status, including socioeconomic condition, access to 

medical care resources, and variability in the prevalence of high-risk behaviors. 

Significant diversity within the region with regards to these factors may help to explain 

observed disparities in health status. 

In order to develop effective programs and policies to reduce and eliminate health 

disparities, it is necessary to understand the extent of disparities in health status as well as 

potential contributing factors. This report provides critical data and analyses documenting 

health disparities in the Appalachian region (as well as the non-Appalachian U.S.) and 

aids efforts to develop interventions that can be targeted to areas with the greatest need.

In addition, this report provides a basis for understanding factors that contribute to 

geographic and demographic variability in health status in the Appalachian region. 

Health Disparities 

Significant improvements in the overall health of the population in the United 

States have been realized over the last four decades. In general, improvements in health 

may be attributable to a combined effect of improved living standards, advancements in 

medical treatment, improved access to medical care and resources, and increased 

awareness about health risks in the general population. However improvements in health 

outcomes have not been realized by all segments of the population and have resulted in 

significant disparities along a number of dimensions including gender, ethnicity, 

socioeconomic status, and geographic location. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) health disparities definition is: 

ii
"Health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden 

of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population

groups in the United States." (http://healthdisparities.nih.gov/whatare.html)

Disparities in health exert an enormous burden on the health care community and on 

society. Variations in social, cultural, behavioral, biologic, genetic, and environmental 

factors contribute to differences in health among population subgroups and geographic 

locations. Among factors that are likely to contribute to disparities in health, access to 

medical care and quality of medical care are critical. 

Reducing health disparities was a goal of the Healthy People 2000 objectives. 

Healthy People 2010 objectives have been substantially expanded to include eliminating 

health disparities, and this represents one of the most significant challenges for the 

nation. One of the key elements to the successful reduction of disparities along all sociodemographic and geographic dimensions is developing an understanding of the nature 

and extent of disparities. 

The Appalachian region has endured significant excesses in adverse health 

outcomes. In general, the Appalachian region has lagged economically behind other parts 

of the U.S. Relatively high levels of unemployment, low regional incomes, and 

educational deficits continue to contribute to a lower standard of living than enjoyed in 

many areas of the U.S. However, Appalachia also represents significant levels of 

socioeconomic diversity. For example, metropolitan areas in the region have more 

diversified economies, higher per capita incomes, and greater access to medical care than 

non-metropolitan areas(Barnett, et al). Local socioeconomic differences within the 

Appalachian region are likely to be key contributors to disparities in health outcomes 

with those areas having diminished access to social, economic, and medical care 

resources experiencing more adverse outcomes. However, detailed data which describe 

the extent and nature of these disparities has been lacking. 

The Appalachian region and the A.R.C. 

 

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a federal-state partnership 

established in 1965 by the Appalachian Regional Development Act to promote economic 

and social development of the Appalachian Region. With a total population of 22.8 

million, the Appalachian Region includes, as amended in 2002, 410 counties (when this 

study was commissioned in October of 2001, the ARC designated region consisted of 406 

counties). The ARC designated region includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other 

states and extends more than a thousand miles from the southern tier of New York to 

northeast Mississippi. 

Appalachia’s population is geographically distributed across the urban-rural 

spectrum, from large urban areas in metropolitan counties to small, very remote counties 

lacking even small urban concentrations. Sixty percent of the population live in 

metropolitan counties, twenty-five percent live in counties adjacent to metropolitan 

counties, while the balance of the population live in more remote, rural locations. 

For 38 years, the Commission has funded a wide range of programs in the Region, 

including highway corridors; community water and sewer facilities and other physical 

iii
infrastructure; health, education, and human resource development; economic 

development programs; and local capacity building and leadership development. In FY 

2003, the Commission’s definitions of economic development levels designates 121 

counties as distressed because of high rates of poverty and unemployment and low rates 

of per capita market income compared to national averages; 259 counties were designated 

transitional (42 of these transitional counties may be characterized as “at-risk”), with 

higher than average rates of poverty and unemployment and lower per capita market 

income; 21 counties have nearly achieved parity with national socioeconomic norms and 

are now designated as competitive and; 9 counties have reached or exceeded national 

norms and are now designated as attainment counties. 

Organization of Report 

Section I of this report describes regional disparities in mortality from leading 

causes of death between the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachia United States. 

Regional death rates as well as county-level death rates were generated for eight 

population subgroups; white and black men and women ages 35 to 64 and 65 and older. 

County-level maps of death rates are presented for all counties in the coterminous U.S. 

and separately for the Appalachian region. This section highlights regional and countylevel disparities in death rates. Section II examines county-level rates of hospitalizations 

from leading causes of illness for selected counties in the Appalachian region. 

Hospitalization rates are presented by county for six population subgroups: all persons 

ages 35 to 64 and 65 and older, and men and women ages 35 to 64 and 65 and older. 

Section III describes general socioeconomic conditions among Appalachian counties.

Section IV examines leading health indictors among behavioral risks. Section V 

documents medical care resources in the Appalachian region. Section VI provides an 

overview of the study results and suggests several avenues for further research. 

Summary of Findings 

An Analysis of Disparities in Health Status and Access to Medical Care in the 

Appalachian Region shows that significant health disparities persist in the Appalachian

region. The region as a whole suffers considerable excess in mortality from leading 

causes of death when compared to the non-Appalachian U.S. Furthermore, there is a high 

degree of within-region variability in both the rates of mortality and hospitalization. 

Many Appalachian counties with the most adverse health outcomes correlate 

geographically with socioeconomic characteristics, behavioral risk profiles, and available 

medical care resources. However, there does not appear to be a consistent relationship 

between all factors combined for individual counties. It appears that reasons for 

disparities in health outcomes are highly variable and localized. Identifying the causes of 

inconsistencies may help in developing effective interventions and policy at the local 

level. 

• Overall the Appalachian region experiences excesses in mortality from many of 

the major causes of death and illness relative to the non-Appalachian U.S. 

iv
Regional Death Rates from Specific Causes

1990-1997, U.S. and Appalachia

All Persons Ages 35 and Older

0 200 400 600 800

Heart Disease

All Cancers

Stroke

Lung Cancer

Accidental

COPD 

Colorectal Cancer

Diabetes

Breast Cancer

Motor Vehicle

Rate per 100,000

U.S.

Appalachia

• To clarify the extent and nature of regional excesses, analyses have been 

conducted for eight demographic subgroups for leading causes of death and 

illness; white and black men and women ages 35 to 64 and 65 and older.

• County-level analyses have also been conducted in order to identify disparities 

within the Appalachian region and highlight clusters of counties that exhibit both 

favorable and adverse health outcomes in the region. 

• Additional data is examined which may help to explain observed disparities 

including, socioeconomic conditions, behavioral risks, and available medical care 

resources. 

• Together these data provide a detailed account of health status in the Appalachian 

region and provide evidence for targeted interventions as well as avenues for 

further research. 

• These data suggest that variations in health status within Appalachian are, to a 

large extent, highly localized and therefore achieving Healthy People 2010 

objectives will require intervention at the local level. 

v
I. Mortality

Mortality statistics provide the most comprehensive source of information 

available for examining public health outcomes among population subgroups and/or 

geographic areas. The analyses conducted in this study help to situate the mortality 

experience of the Appalachian region with the rest of the United States. The specific 

causes of death that were analyzed are heart disease, cancer(s), cerebrovascular disease 

(stroke), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allied conditions, diabetes, accidental 

deaths, deaths from motor vehicle accidents, suicide, and infant mortality. The study 

population consisted of black and white men and women who resided in the United States 

during the period 1990-1997. Each of these sub-groups was divided into two age 

categories; 35 to 64 and 65 and older. Deaths which occur in the 35 to 64 age-groups are 

considered premature and preventable. 

Regional Death Rates from Specific Causes, U.S. and Appalachia, 1990-1997 – Persons Ages 65 and Older

0 5 0 0 1 000 1 5 0 0 200 0 2 5 0 0 300 0

H e a rt D is e a s e

A ll C a n c e r

S tro k e

L u n g C a n c e r

A c c id e n ta l

C O P D

C o lo recta l C a n c e r

D ia b e te s

B re a s t Ca n c e r

M o to r V e h ic le 

U n ite d S ta te s B la c k W o m e n

A p p a la c h ia B la ck W o m e n

U n ite d S ta te s B la c k M e n

A p p a la c h ia B la ck M e n

U n ite d S ta te s W h ite W o m e n

A p p a la c h ia W h ite W o m e n

U n ite d S ta te s W h ite M e n

A p p a la c h ia W h ite M e n

 

The Appalachian region as a whole experiences excess mortality compared to the 

non-Appalachian U.S. Among the causes of death examined in this study, Appalachian 

populations suffer the most significant excesses in heart disease mortality, the leading 

cause of death in the U.S. There are, however, considerable differences in the burden of 

mortality among age/gender/ethnic groups. In addition, the Appalachian region suffers an 

excess in premature deaths (among persons ages 35 to 64) from heart disease, all cancers 

combined, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 

diabetes, and motor vehicle accidents, relative to comparable non-Appalachian U.S. 

vi
population. All Cause death rates are consistently higher among Appalachian population 

subgroups compared with U.S rates, with the exception of black men ages 35 to 64 and 

black women ages 65 and older. 

County-level Mortality Rates

The analyses of county-level mortality rates are intended to identify geographic 

disparities in mortality in the Appalachian region, highlight specific areas in the region 

that experience the most adverse health outcomes, and aid in the development of tailored 

intervention strategies for reducing adverse health outcomes and disparities in 

Appalachia. County-level mortality analyses for the coterminous U.S. allow comparisons 

between counties in the Appalachian region and non-Appalachian U.S. 

Mortality from all causes exhibits some clear geographic patterns that are fairly 

consistent among the demographic subgroups. The geographic patterns are nearly 

identical for white men and women in both age categories with high rate areas 

concentrated in the Central Appalachian counties in portions of Eastern Kentucky, 

Southern Ohio, Southern West Virginia, and Western Virginia. Additional high-rate 

vii
counties appear in the Southern portion of the region. The geographic patterns for black 

men and women are less consistent although there are similarities with the distribution 

for white men and women. 

County-level trends in all-cause mortality have been estimated over the period 1985-

1997. There are substantial differences in the trends among race/ethnic, gender, and age 

groups. For white men in both age groups the trends of all-cause mortality are 

overwhelmingly positive with the greatest number of counties experiencing moderate 

declines over the study period. However, many counties have experienced negligible 

change (arguably a negative outcome). 

The majority of counties experiencing moderate increases among white men 

occur in the counties of Central and Southern Appalachia. Mortality trends for white 

women are less positive, particularly among elderly white women where the majority of 

counties experienced either negligible change or moderate increases. The majority of 

counties for which trends can be estimated for black men and women have experienced 

moderate declines in disparities, with some counties in the south experiencing adverse 

trends. 

viii
Heart Disease Mortality in Appalachia 

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates from

heart disease rank first among causes of death, with a marked disparity in Appalachia. In 

general, high death rates from heart disease are predominant in the central and southern 

portions of the Appalachian region among all demographic subgroups. 

The dominant trends since 1985 for all population subgroups suggest moderate to 

strong declines in heart disease mortality over the study period. However, in each state 

several counties have experienced moderate increases and a few have experienced strong 

increases. 

Cancer Mortality in Appalachia 

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates from

all cancers rank first among death rates used in this analysis for white and black women 

ages 35 to 64. For white and black men ages 35 to 64 cancer death rates rank second. 

Among the elderly, Appalachian death rates from all cancers rank second for all 

demographic groups in both the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S. In 

general, high death rates from all cancers are predominant in the central portion of the

Appalachian region among all demographic subgroups. However, there is considerable 

variation among demographic groups. For example, for elderly white women, high cancer 

death rates occur in Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, and Southeastern Ohio in 

addition to Southwestern Pennsylvania and Southern New York. 

The county-level trends for cancer mortality since 1985 indicate significant 

variability in the mortality trends among counties in the Appalachian region. Perhaps the 

most striking trend is the number of counties that have experienced moderate to strong 

increases in mortality from all cancers. 

Breast Cancer Mortality in Appalachia

With the exception of white women ages 35 to 64, breast cancer death rates used 

in this analysis suggest an excess of breast cancer mortality among Appalachian women 

compared with the Non-Appalachian U.S. While the magnitude of the death rates is 

larger for black women of both age-groups, there appears to be greater disparity in the 

county-level rates among white women of both age groups. 

Colorectal Cancer Mortality in Appalachia 

There appears to be a north to south gradient of disparities in colorectal cancer 

death rates for both white men and women of both age groups. The data for black men 

and women are very limited for both age groups, although there do appear to be a few 

clusters, particularly in western Pennsylvania and eastern Tennessee, and for elderly 

black women in southern West Virginia. 

 

Lung Cancer Mortality in Appalachia 

In general the region has slightly higher lung cancer death rates for all 

demographic groups when compared to the rest of the nation, although there is 

considerable variation in the geographic distribution of rates among the different 

ix
demographic subgroups. Central Appalachia exhibits a strong clustering of higher rates 

for white men ages 35-64 and elderly men, with clusters of higher rates in northeast 

Mississippi, northwest Alabama, and northwest Georgia. White women exhibit higher 

rates in central Appalachia, as well a clustering among elderly women in northern 

Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York. Black men and women of both age 

groups show clustering in counties around Pittsburgh, southern West Virginia, eastern 

Tennessee, particularly surrounding Chattanooga, concentrations in northeast Mississippi 

and northern Georgia and several counties in western North and South Carolina. Elevated 

rates are also found in Black women of both age groups in the two western-most counties 

of New York. 

Stroke Mortality in Appalachia 

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates from

stroke rank fourth among death rates used in this analysis for white and black men of 

both age groups and third among white and black women of both age groups. In general, 

high death rates from stroke are predominant in the southern portion of the Appalachian 

region among all demographic subgroups. This pattern is consistent with the history of 

the ‘Stroke Belt’. For the most part, county level trends show that most counties have 

continued the historic trend of decline. There are a number of counties, throughout the 

Region, however, where rates are increasing, but Northern Pennsylvania seems to exhibit 

a disproportionate number of increases for elderly white men. 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Mortality in Appalachia

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates from

all COPD rank fifth among death rates used in this analysis for white and black men of 

both age groups. For white and black women of both age groups COPD death rates rank 

fourth. In general, high death rates from COPD are predominant in the central portion of 

the Appalachian Region among white population groups. There appear to be consistently 

high rates of COPD mortality among counties in the Western Carolinas and in Alabama 

among all black population groups. Perhaps the most striking feature of the trend is the 

number of counties that have experienced moderate to strong increases in mortality from

COPD. 

Accidental Mortality in Appalachia 

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates from

accidental causes rank third among death rates used in this analysis for white and black 

men ages 35 to 64. In general, high death rates from accidental causes are predominant in 

the southern portion of the Appalachian region among all demographic subgroups. The 

majority of counties have experienced either moderate declines or negligible change for 

all demographic subgroups over the study period. 

Motor Vehicle Accident Mortality in Appalachia

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates 

attributable to motor vehicle accidents rank fifth among white men ages 35 to 64 and 

ninth among white women ages 35 to 64. In Appalachia and the motor vehicle death rate 

is seventh among black men ages 35 to 64 and eighth among younger black men in the 

x
non-Appalachian U.S. Motor vehicle death rates rank last among black women ages 35 to 

64 in both the Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions as well as among all elderly 

demographic groups. In general, there appears to be a south-north gradient with higher 

death rates occurring primarily in the southern portions of the region. 

Diabetes Mortality in Appalachia

Both in the Appalachian region and the non-Appalachian U.S., death rates 

attributable to diabetes rank ninth among white men and women ages 35 to 64 in 

Appalachia and eighth among elderly white men and women. For black men of both age 

groups diabetes death rates rank eighth. For black women diabetes death rates rank 

seventh among ages 35 to 64 and fifth among elderly black women. In general, high 

death rates from diabetes are predominant in the central to northern portions of the 

Appalachian region among all demographic subgroups. 

Suicide Mortality in Appalachia 

The relatively small numbers of suicides at the county-level is evident in both the 

small value of the suicide rates as well the narrow range of the values in each 

distribution. Several high rate counties are coincident for ages 35 to 64 and 65 and older. 

These counties generally appear in Eastern Virginia and along the West Virginia border. 

Two high-outlier (unusually high value) counties are apparent among persons ages 65 

and older. These counties occur in Eastern Virginia and Northeastern Alabama and 

generally seem to mark the ends of a swath of high rate counties that occur in the central 

to southern portions of the region. 

Infant Mortality in Appalachia 

A clear disparity in the level of infant mortality rates between white and nonwhite populations is made clear by examining the two distributions. Infant mortality rates 

for the white population range from 1.6 to 17.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. In contrast, 

infant mortality rates for non-white populations range from 2.3 to 500.0 deaths per 1,000 

live births. 

xi
II. Morbidity 

Hospitalization data provide the best available information on morbidity for most 

health conditions. Inpatient hospitalizations were obtained from the Health Care Cost and 

Utilization Project (HCUP) database and the State Inpatient Databases (SIDs) for the year 

2000. Appalachian states that are not participating are Ohio, Mississippi, and Alabama. 

Where the primary diagnosis for hospitalizations was identified, these diagnoses included 

heart disease, cancer(s), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and chronic obstructive 

pulmonary disease and allied conditions (COPD), and diabetes. 

Table 1. Number of hospitalizations by diagnosis

Diagnosis Number of Hospitalizations 

Heart Disease 338,012

COPD 87,458

All Cancers 85,083

Stroke 75,835

Diabetes 31,368

Other 1,671,791

Total 2,289,547

All-Cause Hospitalizations in Appalachia 

High rates of hospitalization are concentrated primarily in the Central 

Appalachian counties in portions of Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, and 

Western Virginia for persons ages 35 to 64. High rates of hospitalization are a bit more 

wide-spread for the elderly. 

Heart Disease Hospitalizations in Appalachia

Heart disease related hospitalizations are responsible for approximately 15 

percent of all hospitalizations in the year 2000 for the counties used in this analysis. High 

rates of hospitalization are concentrated primarily in the Central Appalachian counties in 

portions of Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, and Western Virginia for all 

population subgroups, although there are concentrations in parts of Pennsylvania and the 

southern tier of New York, particularly for the elderly populations.

Cancer Hospitalizations in Appalachia

For this analysis, hospitalizations with a primary diagnoses related to any 

malignant neoplasms, cancers of various organs, and leukemia were combined. High 

rates of cancer hospitalization are fairly sporadic throughout the region, however some 

general clusters of high rate counties occur in Western Pennsylvania and in the Central 

Appalachian counties in portions of Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, and 

Western Virginia for all population subgroups. 

xii
COPD Hospitalizationsin Appalachia 

Hospitalizations with primary diagnoses related to chronic obstructive pulmonary 

disease (COPD) include those resulting from bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic airway 

obstruction and does not include asthma. COPD related hospitalizations are responsible 

for approximately 3.8 percent of all hospitalizations in the year 2000 for the counties 

used in this analysis. Major clustering occurring in central Appalachia includes counties 

in Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, and Western Virginia. These clusters 

appear fairly consistently among all population subgroups and most counties designated 

as high outliers also appear in these regions. 

 

Diabetes Hospitalizations in Appalachia 

Hospitalizations with primary diagnoses related to diabetes include those resulting 

from diabetes mellitus both Type I and Type II. Diabetes related hospitalizations are 

responsible for the fewest hospitalizations among illnesses used in this analysis 

accounting for approximately 1.4 percent of all hospitalizations in the year 2000. Major 

clustering occurring in central Appalachia including counties in Eastern Kentucky, 

Southern West Virginia, and Western Virginia. There is also a small group of counties in 

Eastern Georgia with high diabetes hospitalization rates. These clusters appear fairly 

consistently among all population subgroups and most counties designated as high 

outliers also appear in these regions.

xiii
III. Socioeconomic Condition

There is a growing awareness in the public health community that a person’s 

health (both physical and mental) is linked to contextual circumstances and events in 

addition to the influence of individual risks. Contextual approaches examine the social 

and economic conditions that affect all individuals who share a particular environment: 

the social environment. The variation in social landscapes in the U.S. and Appalachian 

region reflects underlying differences in the contexts in which regions and local areas 

have developed and adapted to changes over time. Distinct geographic variability in 

health outcomes suggests that contextual differences across geographic space may 

influence the overall health of regional and local populations. 

In general, the Appalachian region has lagged economically from other parts of 

the U.S. Relatively high levels of unemployment, low regional incomes, and educational 

deficits continue to contribute to a lower standard of living than enjoyed in many areas of 

the U.S. However, there are significant levels of socioeconomic diversity within 

Appalachia. For example, metropolitan areas in the region have more diversified 

economies, higher per capita incomes, and greater access to medical care than nonmetropolitan areas. Local socioeconomic differences within the Appalachian region are 

likely to be key contributors to disparities in health outcomes with those areas having 

diminished access to social, economic, and medical care resources experiencing more 

adverse outcomes. However, direct associations are also likely to vary throughout the 

region. 

The data and analyses presented in this section are intended to reveal potential

associations between county-level health outcomes and prevailing socioeconomic 

conditions. We did not measure comprehensive associations, but provide a basis from 

which to chart further work relating socioeconomic conditions to health outcomes in the 

region. 

Unemployment 

In 1990, the U.S. average unemployment was 6.3%. In Appalachia the average 

unemployment was 6.8%. County-level unemployment rates ranged from 2.0% to 25.5% 

among non-Appalachian U.S. counties and from 2.7% to 21.9% among counties within 

the Appalachian region. Although the disparities in unemployment rates among nonAppalachian counties in the U.S. had increased between 1990 and 2000, the disparities in 

unemployment among Appalachian counties appear to have decreased. However in both 

years, Appalachia had a higher proportion of counties represented by higher rates of 

unemployment than non-Appalachian U.S. counties. In 1990 clusters of counties with 

high rates of unemployment, relative to other counties in the region, are evident primarily 

in Central West Virginia, Southeastern Ohio, and Eastern Kentucky. Despite an apparent 

decrease in unemployment rates, as indicated by the distribution of values for the year 

2000, there appears to be a persistence of relatively high unemployment among counties 

in Central West Virginia, Southeastern Ohio, and Eastern Kentucky. 

xiv
Per Capita Income 

Between 1990 and 2000 the distributions of per capita incomes among 

Appalachian counties have become slightly more commensurate with counties outside of

Appalachia. However, Appalachian counties continue to be more represented in the lower 

income categories than non-Appalachian U.S. counties. Concentrations of low per capita 

income counties, relative to other Appalachian counties, have persisted primarily in 

Eastern Kentucky and Central and Southern West Virginia. 

Median Family Income 

In 1990, the median family income for non-Appalachian U.S. counties ranged from

$10,903 to $65,201. For Appalachian counties, median family income range from $11,110 

to $48,000 in 1990. In 2000 the median family income for non-Appalachian U.S. counties 

ranged from $14,167 to $97,225. For Appalachian counties, median family income ranged 

from $18,034 to $74,003 in 2000. 

 

Appalachian counties tend to be represented more in the lower income ranges than in 

the higher ranges compared with U.S. counties outside of Appalachia. The geographic 

distribution of median family incomes is very similar to the distribution of per capita 

income, with lower incomes being represented by Central Appalachian counties in Eastern 

Kentucky, and Central and Southern West Virginia. 

xv
Percent Living Below Poverty Level 

Poverty rates in non-Appalachian U.S. counties ranged from 0.0% to 63.1% in 

1990. For Appalachian counties, poverty rates ranged from 3.2% to 52.1% in 1990. In 

2000, the range of poverty rates decreased in both non-Appalachian counties and 

Appalachian counties, ranging from 0.0% to 56.9% and 5.2% to 45.4% respectively. 

Appalachian counties tend to be more represented in the higher poverty rate categories. 

The geographic distribution of poverty rates is very similar to the distribution of per capita 

income and median family income with higher poverty rates being represented by Central 

Appalachian counties in Eastern Kentucky, and Central and Southern West Virginia. In 

general, it appears that high rates of poverty are associated with highly rural areas. 

Educational Attainment

Dramatic differences in educational attainment are evident among counties in the 

U.S. and Appalachia. In 1990, the percent of persons with at least a high school diploma 

in non-Appalachian U.S. counties ranged from 31.6% to 95.5% and from 35.5% to 87.2% 

for Appalachian counties. In the same year the percentage of persons with a college 

degree ranged from 3.7% to 53.4% among non-Appalachian counties and from 3.7% to 

41.7% among Appalachian counties. By the year 2000, the ranges of values for both 

indicators show significant improvement. In 2000, the percentage of persons with at least 

a high school diploma in non-Appalachian U.S. counties ranged from 34.7% to 97.0% 

and from 49.2% to 91.4% for Appalachian counties. The percentage of persons with a 

college degree ranged from 4.9% to 60.5% among non-Appalachian counties and from 

5.6% to 47.6% among Appalachian counties. 

Deficiencies in educational attainment are evident in the Appalachian region 

when compared to the non-Appalachian U.S. In 1990, Appalachian counties were more 

represented in lower percentages with both high school diplomas and college degrees 

when compared to non-Appalachian U.S. counties. Despite improvements in educational 

attainment for all U.S. counties by the year 2000, the Appalachian region has, in general, 

continued to lag behind much of the country. Low educational attainment is prevalent in 

Central Appalachian counties in Eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia, Eastern 

Tennessee, and Western Virginia. These areas correspond quite well to areas which are 

very rural, have high levels of unemployment and low income levels. 

xvi
IV. Behavioral Risks 

A number of specific risk behaviors such as smoking, poor nutrition, and lack of 

physical exercise are known to contribute to the prevalence of a number of chronic 

diseases, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and cancer. It is believed 

that much of the burden of chronic disease is preventable with modifications of these risk 

behaviors. The prevalence of specific risk behaviors may be influenced by socioeconomic 

conditions of particular areas. Rural, underdeveloped regions, for example, may have a 

poor public health infrastructure, poor availability of healthy foods, inadequate facilities 

for leisure-time physical activity, and inadequate availability of medical care and public 

health education resources. 

Behavioral risk data are drawn from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

(BRFSS), which is based on a telephone survey administered each year by state health 

departments across the country. For this study, the following risk factors were analyzed: 

 

• Obesity (based on body mass index calculated from self-reported weight and height) 

• Cigarette smoking and smoking quit rates 

• Physical inactivity 

• Cancer screening (Mammography and rectal exams) 

• Access to medical care (Insurance Coverage). 

Obesity 

With the exception of black men, Appalachian counties tend to be more 

represented among the higher obesity prevalence. 

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Cigarette smoking 

Appalachian Labor Market Areas (LMAs) are more represented in the higher 

ranges of smoking rates compared with LMAs outside the Appalachian region. LMAs 

with high rates of smoking appear to cluster in the central Appalachian region for white 

men and women, primarily in eastern Kentucky and central and southern West Virginia. 

For black men and women, there appears to be a north-south gradient in smoking rates 

with higher rates occurring in the more northern LMAs and lower rates in the southern 

LMAs. 

Physical Inactivity 

Appalachian LMAs consistently are more represented by the higher rates of 

physical inactivity compared with LMAs outside of the region. 

Cancer Screening 

Appalachian LMAs generally are more represented by the lower rates of 

mammography screening compared with LMAs outside of the region. Appalachian 

LMAs are also, for the most part, more represented by the lower rates of colorectal 

cancer screening compared with LMAs outside of the region 

Health Insurance 

In general it appears that LMAs within Appalachia fair reasonably well when 

compared to LMAs outside the region. However there also appear to be groups of LMAs 

that are more represented among the lowest rates of health care coverage. The lowest 

rates of coverage occur consistently among white men and women in eastern Kentucky. 

Low rates areas appear in Western South Carolina for black men and primarily in 

Southern Alabama and Eastern Mississippi for black women. 

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V. Medical Care Resources 

Accessibility to adequate medical care is a critical element of secondary 

preventive efforts to reduce disease morbidity and mortality. In much of rural 

Appalachia, there are significant barriers to adequate medical care including physical 

distance, terrain, lack of public or private means of transportation to providers, lack of 

health insurance, and inability to pay for prescription drugs. In this report we examine the 

geographic distribution of medical care resources in order to help identify counties and 

regions which have deficiencies in resources. 

Health Professional Shortage Areas 

Of the 406 Appalachian counties used in this analysis, 108 counties have health 

professional shortages throughout the county, 189 counties have shortages in part of the 

county, and 109 counties have no shortages. Fairly large regions, identified by clusters of 

counties that have shortages for the whole county, are located in Central West Virginia, 

Eastern Kentucky, Northeastern Mississippi, and Central Alabama. 

Hospitals 

There were 81 counties in the region that had no hospitals and 203 had a single

hospital. Appalachian counties with large metropolitan areas, such as Pittsburgh and 

Birmingham have medical schools, teaching hospitals, and are represented by large numbers 

of hospitals, relative to other Appalachian counties.

Population Ratio per Hospital Bed 

Population-to-hospital bed ratios provide an indication of the overall medical care 

resources available in a local area. More favorable population-to-hospital bed ratios are 

found in counties with metropolitan areas, but are also found in non-metropolitan 

counties throughout the region. No clear clustering of unfavorable population-to-hospital 

bed ratios is apparent within the region. 

Hospitals with Cardiac Intensive Care Units (CICUs) 

There were 296 counties in the region with no CICU, and fairly large areas for 

which there are large distances to the nearest CICU. More metropolitan areas within the 

region, such as Pittsburgh, Knoxville, and Birmingham have comparatively large 

numbers of CICU hospitals. 

Hospitals with Cardiac Catheterization Labs and Rehabilitation Care 

There were 318 counties that did not have hospitals with at least one cardiac 

catheterization lab and 326 counties that did not have at least one county with a cardiac 

rehabilitation unit. Large areas within the region do not have ready access to these critical 

services. Counties with metropolitan areas have a greater number of hospitals that offer 

these specialized services. 

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Specialty Physicians 

Favorable population-to-physician ratios were found throughout the region. 

Counties with less favorable ratios are found primarily in Southeastern Ohio, Southern 

and Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and North-Central Mississippi. There were 

6 Appalachian counties with no physicians active in patient care in 1999. More common 

physician specialties, such as cardiovascular disease, emergency medicine, diagnostic 

radiology, and pathology, are widely dispersed throughout the region. However large 

areas within the region are lacking these specialty medical services. There appear to be a 

regional concentration, in Western Pennsylvania, of physicians specializing in pulmonary 

disease and physical rehabilitation. Physician specialties that occur very sparsely among 

Appalachian counties are colon and rectal surgery, general preventive medicine, and 

public health.

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Key Findings and Challenges 

This report represents the first such analysis found in the literature involving a 

regional review of mortality, morbidity and risk and represents a new, fruitful approach 

in disparities research. The central finding of this report of pervasive disparities in 

premature mortality in the region, as compared to the rest of the nation, provides 

evidence for identifying Appalachia as a geographic health disparity population. 

The findings of this report indicate that the Appalachian Region as a whole 

suffers considerable excess in mortality from leading causes of death when compared to 

the non-Appalachian U.S. Among the causes of death examined in this study, 

Appalachian populations suffer the most significant excesses in heart disease mortality,

the leading cause of death in the U.S. In addition, the Appalachian region suffers an 

excess in premature deaths (among persons ages 35 to 64) from heart disease, all cancers 

combined, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 

diabetes, and motor vehicle accidents, relative to comparable non-Appalachian U.S. 

populations. As this report has shown, there are considerable differences in the burden of 

mortality among age/gender/ethnic groups. The geographic patterns in national mortality 

rates for different causes of death are often mirrored in the Appalachian region, 

particularly by the apparent north-south gradients for breast, colorectal and lung cancer 

mortality, strokes, accidental deaths, and diabetes. 

There is a discernable pattern of large clusters of high death rate counties in 

Central Appalachia for multiple causes of death. In many cases these concentrations

represent the largest such clusters in the country. Among specific causes of death, which 

exhibit large clusters of high death rate counties in the Appalachian region, some of the 

most notable exist for heart disease, all cancers, lung cancer, COPD, and diabetes. 

Analysis of hospitalization for different illnesses reveal similarities to the

geographic distribution to mortality rates, however there is a high degree of within-region 

variability in both the rates of mortality and hospitalization. The lack of morbidity data 

hinders more extensive analysis. Key morbidity data is lacking for individual states in the 

nation and the region. 

This report finds higher percentages of obesity, smoking and lack of physical 

activity in Appalachian labor market areas compared with the U.S. These behaviors are 

all considered risk factors to leading causes of mortality. There appear to be some

associations among counties and clusters of counties with high mortality/hospitalization 

rates and high prevalence of behavioral risk factors. 

Appalachia continues to suffer adverse socio-economic conditions (higher 

unemployment, lower educational achievement, lower per capita income), and there does 

appear to be some association between areas with more adverse socioeconomic 

conditions and adverse health outcomes. However, the direct role of socioeconomic 

conditions in influencing health disparities is not clear. There are places with adverse 

socioeconomic conditions that do not endure the burden of adverse health outcomes 

relative to other areas in the region. 

Measures of health service availability are generally crude and limited in terms of

measures of actual utilization rates, access barriers, quality issues and cross-county and 

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cross-state utilization patterns. The available data indicate an apparent centralization of

specialty health services in the region's metropolitan areas. 

Policy Implications 

The distributions of excess mortality rates found in this report may indicate a need 

for regional approaches to address such health disparities, especially in the case of excess 

premature deaths. In some cases, clusters of counties with high death rates correspond to 

clusters of counties with high risk factor prevalence. In such cases, regional health 

prevention approaches may make sense as an intervention strategy. The clusters cross 

state boundaries and suggest that interventions should be considered on a multi-state, 

regional basis. 

Deficiencies in key morbidity data for every state suggest that additional 

incentives ought to be considered to encourage participation by all of the states in the 

HCUP program and that a standardized data base that guarantees both confidentiality and 

a robust national research capability be developed for use by public health researchers. 

The effects of the apparent centralization of specialized health services in 

metropolitan areas on mortality and morbidity rates in non-metro areas are not yet clear. 

An alternative approach to measuring access to specialized health services might be to 

identify services required for a typical course of care by disease and to measure relative 

access at multiple local levels. 

It appears that the reasons for disparities in health outcomes are highly variable 

and localized. Additional research is necessary to identify specific combinations of 

factors that contribute to the health experience of places within Appalachia. The detailed 

findings of county-level health status suggest that many health disparities are highly 

localized in the region and result from a combination of factors that are unique to each 

local area. Developing targeted interventions, and local policies, to reduce and eliminate 

health disparities in the region requires an understanding of local conditions that 

influence health outcomes. 

In conjunction with developing regional health policies, one of the most 

significant challenges that is posed by this type of study is addressing the key disparities 

with local knowledge of conditions that exist in these geographic areas. Although 

analysis of secondary data sources is a critical part of developing an understanding of the 

health conditions in Appalachia, understanding the causes of disparities at the local level 

often requires specific and detailed local knowledge regarding events and conditions that 

influence local health outcomes. Preliminary analyses suggest a highly variable landscape 

of associations between various health disparities and socioeconomic condition, 

prevalence of behavioral risks, and access to available medical care resources. Local 

responses and more extensive analysis is required to identify how these factors combine 

and intersect at the local level to influence local health outcomes. 

These findings will be communicated to each of the states included in the 

Appalachian Regional Commission's area. The Commission should consider promoting 

regional collaborations among states and partnerships with other Federal agencies to 

address the disparities identified in this report. 

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