8. West Virginia
While it still remains among the 10 unhealthiest states, West Virginia showed notable improvement over the past year, rising four spots to a rank of 43 this year. The state has the highest rate of drug deaths in the country. It also has the highest percentage of adults reporting frequent recent mental health issues.
Strengths: Low prevalence of excessive drinking; low incidence of infectious disease; low percentage of population without insurance.
Challenges: High rate of drug deaths; high prevalence of smoking; low immunization coverage among children.
