Measuring Virginia
Virginia Performs shows you how the state is doing in areas that affect the quality of life for you and your family. Explore these pages (horizontal main menu above) to learn more about Virginia's performance from region to region and compared to other states. For more data about your own community, you can explore our regional and locality performance maps. You can also see how Virginia state government is working on your behalf on our Agency Planning and Performance pages.
Measuring What Matters
New Health Indicators Highlight Risks & Outcomes
Many organizations view health data in terms of mortality (the various causes of death) and, on the other hand, the risk factors which directly affect those outcomes. By repurposing former standalone content and combining it with a wealth of additional data, two new indicators on Virginia Performs now follow a similar structure:
- Health Risk Factors incorporates existing content on immunization, obesity, and smoking, and adds a host of new measures -- diet, physical activity (and lack thereof), diabetes, heavy drinking, and substance abuse -- to assess the overall health risks Virginians face. The new indicator paints a much more thorough picture of the factors critical to maintaining good health.
- Mortality and Longevity incorporates once-separate indicators on cancer, cardiovascular disease, infant mortality, life expectancy, and suicide. It also adds several new but common causes of death -- chronic lung disease, accidents, and diabetes. Together, these combined measures illustrate more fully what Virginians are dying of, as well as their typical longevity rates.
