May 20, 2013
Eastern North Carolina has some of the most unhealthy counties in the state according to the 2013 rankings of the nation's counties by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The report shows counties in the east are burdened with obesity, physical inactivity, a lack of primary care physicians and dentists, and a lack of health insurance.
Al Delia with the Brody School of Medicine says accessibility is a key factor. Delia says, "There is a Walgreens, or a Kerr Drug, or any of your local pharmacies on every corner it seems in large cities in North Carolina. That's not true for rural Lenoir County, or rural Halifax County. It's more difficult to get the medication that will keep you healthy."
Out of 100 counties, Halifax is 99, Lenoir is 94, Bertie 92, Martin 91 and Northampton 90.
For a link to the rankings for all 100 counties in North Carolina, just click on the related link below.
Study Ranks Some Eastern Counties Among NC's Unhealthiest
