CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Ruth Clay just had her 93rd birthday but if you missed it, no worries. You’re invited to her big party seven years from now.

But new numbers released by West Virginians for affordable health care this week show mortality rates in West Virginia paint a picture that doesn't look good.

Only four West Virginia counties have life expectancy rates higher than the national average, those counties are Pendleton, Grant, Tucker and Monongalia.

When it comes to women, every county is below the national average of life expectancy.

The report found that 51 of 55 counties have average life expectancies below the national median of 76 years.

Mingo, Logan, and Boone counties have the lowest life expectancy rates in the entire country.

Three states in our region all deal with similar health issues that play a direct role in the findings, issues like heredity, smoking, and obesity.

Nancy Beasley's 42 and she's in cardiac rehab at St. Mary's Medical Center's wellness center. In the last several months she's taking control of her health, "I'm quite young, and it happened. Had I not had the chest pains, I probably would have died."

Mrs. Clay says living right is only half the battle, and at 93 she's lived almost 20 years longer than the national average, with a smile on her face, and no regrets.

West Virginians for affordable healthcare found this information in a Harvard study that examined life expectancy throughout the country.

Bluefield College will be given these results to look further into what can be done to reverse this disturbing trend.