Richmond's suburbs outpace U.S. in health outcomes
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Richmond's suburbs are more likely to have better health outcomes than most of the country.
The big picture: It's largely due to factors like higher flu vaccination rates, access to exercise, more primary care physicians and mental health providers, and lower poverty rates, according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.
- A smaller percentage of people in Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover reported having poor or fair health compared to the rest of the U.S., per the new report.
- All three had lower rates of uninsured residents, severe housing problems, unemployment and children in poverty.
- They also had higher education levels than the average U.S. county.
Zoom in: The suburbs are also an example of how community conditions vary significantly across the region itself.
- Richmond, once again, faces worse health outcomes than the average locality in Virginia and in the U.S.
- And the report acknowledges the heavy, ongoing role that discriminatory housing policies in the 1930s have played in that ranking.
- Compared to the counties, Richmond has more premature deaths and a poorer quality of life.
The conditions contributing to that include greater rates of income inequality, injury deaths and high child care costs.
Yes, but: Compared to surrounding counties, we have shorter commutes, better access to doctors and we're more social.
- We also have better access to exercise than all but Henrico.
What they're saying: "The conditions necessary for healthy, thriving communities don't happen by chance," Sheri Johnson, principal investigator for the report, told Axios.
- "Communities can build power so that everyone has a say in shaping conditions to live long and well."