Southern States Are Least Healthy

MSN.com ^ | 13 November 2002 | Lisa Habib

[SheLion]

Southern States Are Least Healthy

Annual Rankings Show U.S. Health 15% Better Than in 1990

By	Lisa Habib

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.

[SheLion]

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?

[SheLion]

Ping!!! Or PUFFFFF which ever applies here. heh!

[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?

[KC_Conspirator]

I would bet that its categories like this: public spending on healthcare that this false study is totally based on. How about exercise?

[SheLion]

How about exercise?

Exactly!

[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?

Oh yes! And New England is so HEAlTHY? How about Fat Ted????? Does he look healthy to YOU?

[Pushi]

A very big reason that Blacks die earlier than Whites is because Blacks have a much higher incidence of diabetes and prostate cancer.

[nanny]

[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.

[poopoobutter]

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.

[Just another Joe]

100% increase in public spending

Of 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?

[Gabz]

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.

[Hanging Chad]

"... 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.

[SheLion]

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!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

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.

[Hanging Chad]

"...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.

[Hanging Chad]

justshutupandeatyourlutefish

[stainlessbanner]

And yet, the oldest living WBTS veterans were Confederates living in the South. That ought to count for something.

[Contra]

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.

[SheLion]

How much of that increase came AFTER the Master Settlement Agreement? HMMM?

Let me get my calculator.........