The Progress-Index
Petersburg has been rated the least healthy locality in Virginia by a research group from the University of Wisconsin.
The data, part of the 2021 County Health Rankings from UW s Population Health Institute, comes from statistics for 2019 or even earlier, and does not take the COVID-19 pandemic into account. The pandemic s effect will be measured in next year s rankings.
The Virginia Department of Health announced the rankings Wednesday, claiming that while Virginia is improving overall, there still are gaps that need to be addressed, and health in some of the more financially strapped localities is one of them.
All five of the localities at the bottom of the list are cities Petersburg, followed by Galax in southwest Virginia, Covington in the Shenandoah Valley, Martinsville in southern Virginia, and Hopewell, right next door to Petersburg.
2021 County Health Rankings Show How Virginia Is Improving
Posted by Staff | Apr 1, 2021 | News | |
(Richmond, Va.) Arlington County ranks healthiest in Virginia, according to the annual County Health Rankings, released today by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.
“We at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) are extremely proud that Arlington and the rest of the Northern Virginia region enjoy such good health, as recognized by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA. “We know many factors affect public health, and the Commonwealth has made great strides in recent years, but we also know there are healthcare gaps that Virginia and its leaders must address going forward as we navigate our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will not let up in our efforts to create healthy communities and improve healthy outc
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Petersburg Food Program Works to Strengthen Local Food System
To help improve nutrition and alleviate hunger, the city of Petersburg has turned to local farmer and food makers to provide fresh, local produce for older residents. (Photo provided by River Street Market) Clara Haizlett reported this story
In January, the city of Petersburg launched a four-month initiative to provide healthy food to older people, while also supporting local farmers and food makers. Residents say the program has helped, but it’s also faced challenges.
“Feed the Need (Support the Farmers) Seniors Program” is supported by local partners like the River Street Market and Petersburg Healthy Options Partnership, a group working to improve community food systems. Every week until April, they’re distributing 100 bags of food to older people throughout the city, about 1600 bags total. The bags include things like eggs, produce, meats, dairy and prepared foods: all sourced locally.