Health disparities between Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties in Virginia USA.
The examination of health disparities among people within Appalachian counties compared to people living in other counties is needed to find ways to strategically target improvements in community health in the United States of America (USA).


METHODS
A telephone survey of a random sample of adults living in households within communities of all counties of the state of Virginia (VA) in the USA was conducted.


RESULTS
Health status was poorer among those in communities within Appalachian counties in VA and health insurance did not make a difference. Health perception was significantly worse in residents within communities in Appalachian counties compared to non-Appalachian community residents (30.5 vs. 17.4% rated their health status as poor/fair), and was worse even among those with no chronic diseases. Within communities in Appalachian counties, black residents report significantly better health perception than do white residents.


CONCLUSIONS
Residents living in communities in Appalachian counties in VA are not receiving adequate health care, even among those with health insurance. More research with a larger ethnic minority sample is needed to investigate the racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported health and health care utilization within communities.
McGarvey
Elizabeth L
EL
Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine,University of Virginia, PO Box 800717, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. rel8s@virginia.edu
Leon-Verdin
Maguadalupe
M
Killos
Lydia F
LF
Guterbock
Thomas
T
Cohn
Wendy F
WF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001061:Appalachian Region; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014768:Virginia; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American