Figure 1.

Pictorial representation of high incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer among Appalachian women and an index-based county economic classification system to identify and monitor the economic status of Appalachian counties. County Economic levels: Each county is categorized into five economic statuses, depending on its position in the national ranking. Distressed: These counties are the most economically depressed counties, ranking worst 10 percent of the nation’s counties. At-Risk: At-Risk counties are those of tending to economically distressed, ranking between the worst 10 percent and 25 percent of the nation’s counties. Transitional: Transitional counties are those transitioning between strong and weak economics, ranking between the worst 25 percent and the best 25 percent of the nation’s counties. Competitive: Competitive counties are those that are able to compete in the national economy but are not in the highest 10 percent of the nation’s counties, ranking between the best 10 percent and 25 percent of the nation’s counties. Attainment: Attainment counties are the economically strongest counties, ranking in the best 10 percent of the nation’s counties. Adopted from: http://www.arc.gov/research/MapsofAppalachia.asp?MAP_ID=116.