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Southern States Are Least Healthy
MSN.com ^
| 13 November 2002
| Lisa Habib
Posted on 11/13/2002 9:03:46 AM PST by SheLion
Southern States Are Least Healthy
Annual Rankings Show U.S. Health 15% Better Than in 1990
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
WebMD Medical News
Nov. 11, 2002 -- It's apparently good for your health to live in New England, and not so good in the South. An annual ranking of states according to the health of their populations shows five of the top 10 states are in the Northeast and seven of the bottom 10 are in the South.
The UnitedHealth Foundation ranks New Hampshire as the healthiest state for the sixth time in the 13 years of the rankings. In the top 10, New Hampshire is followed by Minnesota, Massachusetts, Utah, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa, Colorado, North Dakota, and Maine.
The least healthy state is Louisiana. The bottom ten are West Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
State Health Rankings |
1. New Hampshire |
2. Minnesota |
3 Massachusetts |
4. Utah |
5. Connecticut |
6. Vermont |
7. Iowa (tie) |
7. Colorado (tie) |
9. North Dakota |
10. Maine |
11. Washington (tie) |
11. Wisconsin (tie) |
13. Rhode Island |
14. Hawaii |
15. Nebraska |
16. South Dakota |
17. Oregon |
18. Virginia |
19. New Jersey |
20. Idaho |
21. Kansas |
22. Indiana |
23. Pennsylvania |
24. Montana (tie) |
24. California (tie) |
26. Wyoming |
27. Ohio |
28. Maryland |
29. Michigan |
30. Alaska |
31. Illinois |
32. New York (tie) |
32. Missouri (tie) |
34. Arizona |
35. Delaware |
36. North Carolina |
37. Texas |
38. Nevada |
39. Kentucky |
40. Georgia |
41. West Virginia |
42. New Mexico |
43. Florida |
44. Tennessee |
45. Alabama |
46. Oklahoma |
47. Arkansas |
48. South Carolina |
49. Mississippi |
50. Louisiana |
|
The foundation based its rankings on factors including smoking, motor vehicle deaths, heart disease risk, high school graduation rates, children in poverty, prenatal care, access to health insurance, and public spending on healthcare. It also took into account deaths from and incidence of certain diseases, deaths on the job, infant mortality, and premature death. According to the foundation's report, the rankings reflect a state's average resident. But major disparities exist among people of different races in all states. For example, black adults have a far greater chance of dying before age 75 than Asians. And white, pregnant women are far more likely to get prenatal care than Native Americans. Overall, the health of the United States declined by less than a percentage point from 2001 to 2002. The foundation attributed that to a decrease in public spending on healthcare and an increase in premature death (before age 75). About 20 states had much improved health scores this year from the year before. The best increases were in Wyoming, Nevada, and South Dakota, which significantly reduced the number of their children living in poverty and improved other conditions. Twenty-six states had worse health scores; the biggest decreases were in Maryland, Alaska, and Mississippi -- where smoking actually increased. Since the UnitedHealth Foundation began ranking states in 1990, it says the health of the U.S. has improved 15.5% and all states individually have improved. The prime reasons are:
- 22% fewer smokers
- 40% fewer motor vehicle deaths
- 17% decrease in violent crime
- 11% increase in prenatal care
- 100% increase in public spending
- 32% reduction in infant mortality
The UnitedHealth Foundation is a private, nonprofit health information organization. It based its report on data from federal agencies. |
TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: foundation; health; pufflist; united
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The UnitedHealth Foundation is a private, nonprofit health information organization. It based its report on data from federal agencies
Another Health Foundation pops up. Now I wonder who's funding THEM?
1
posted on
11/13/2002 9:03:46 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: *puff_list; Just another Joe; Great Dane; Max McGarrity; Tumbleweed_Connection; maxwell; ...
Ping!!! Or PUFFFFF which ever applies here. heh!
2
posted on
11/13/2002 9:05:07 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: SheLion
What a Shock! I would have never guessed a region were fat, and grease at the table reign could have health problems. Isn't buttered ice cream a local delicacy?
To: SheLion
I would bet that its categories like this: public spending on healthcare that this false study is totally based on. How about exercise?
To: KC_Conspirator
How about exercise? Exactly!
5
posted on
11/13/2002 9:12:25 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: justshutupandtakeit
What a Shock! I would have never guessed a region were fat, and grease at the table reign could have health problems. Isn't buttered ice cream a local delicacy? Oh yes! And New England is so HEAlTHY? How about Fat Ted????? Does he look healthy to YOU?
6
posted on
11/13/2002 9:14:05 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: SheLion
A very big reason that Blacks die earlier than Whites is because Blacks have a much higher incidence of diabetes and prostate cancer.
7
posted on
11/13/2002 9:16:43 AM PST
by
Pushi
To: justshutupandtakeit
[What a Shock! I would have never guessed a region were fat, and grease at the table reign could have health problems. Isn't buttered ice cream a local delicacy?}
The article is sooooo right!! It is unhealthy down here. Especially Texas - the worst - just the worst. No place for people to want to migrate. Please, we will force feed you fat 'possum' fried in lard and force you to smoke Camels. No bicycles here - just big old SUV's. Bad place - bad place.
8
posted on
11/13/2002 9:17:34 AM PST
by
nanny
To: KC_Conspirator
Walking is an excellent form of exercise. Unfortunately, where I live in Georgia the air is so polluted that it's a health hazard to be outside on most days. Many schools have gotten rid of phys ed. People are expected to drive everywhere. A person walking by the side of the road is suspected of being either a drug dealer or a prostitute.
To: SheLion
100% increase in public spendingOf course if you're only spending $5 on health care per person average it's not THAT hard to add that $5 per person on and have a 100% increase.
How much of that increase came AFTER the Master Settlement Agreement? HMMM?
To: SheLion
The foundation attributed that to a decrease in public spending on healthcare and an increase in premature death (before age 75). Talk about doublespeak - this is in reference to a half percent drop - yet a few paragraphs later they said Health has increased over 15% during past 10 years based in part by 100% increase in public spending.
11
posted on
11/13/2002 9:25:33 AM PST
by
Gabz
To: SheLion
"... based its rankings on factors including smoking, motor vehicle deaths, heart disease risk, high school graduation rates, children in poverty, prenatal care, access to health insurance, and public spending on healthcare..."
Yup - public spending on healthcare, high school graduation rates, access to health insurance ... those are the things that make a person healthy, all right....
What a bunch of dum-asses.
To: poopoobutter
A person walking by the side of the road is suspected of being either a drug dealer or a prostitute. Got to LAUGH to keep from cryin!
13
posted on
11/13/2002 9:30:46 AM PST
by
SheLion
To: justshutupandtakeit
What a Shock! I would have never guessed a region were (sic) fat, and grease at the table reign could have health problems. Isn't buttered ice cream a local delicacy?Before spouting off with your ignorant comments, perhaps you should examine the racial composition of the states in question. Black people, especially Black men die much earlier than their white counterparts. The same can be said for certain other minority groups. Look at the top ten hugely white states and compare this with the racial composition of the bottom ten states. W. Va may have more to do with the predominate blue collar nature of the state.
To: poopoobutter
"...where I live in Georgia the air is so polluted that it's a health hazard to be outside on most days. ..."
You have been brainwashed.
To: justshutupandtakeit
justshutupandeatyourlutefish
To: SheLion
And yet, the oldest living WBTS veterans were Confederates living in the South. That ought to count for something.
Comment #18 Removed by Moderator
To: SheLion
Yes, the South is not where you want to be, stay up north you yankees, you're much better off where you are. In fact, it would be a good idea if the South broke off from the north so as not to threaten the health of our neighbors to the north. Yes, for the good of the country and the health of the north, the South needs to form their own separate country.
19
posted on
11/13/2002 9:44:05 AM PST
by
Contra
To: Just another Joe
How much of that increase came AFTER the Master Settlement Agreement? HMMM? Let me get my calculator.........
20
posted on
11/13/2002 9:45:03 AM PST
by
SheLion
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