States
All states except Oklahoma show a positive change in overall score between 1990 and 2009.
New York, Vermont, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Minnesota have improved 32.5 percent or more overall since the 1990 Edition, or 12 percent more than the national average change in score of 20.1 percent. Twenty-three states in total have exceeded the national rate of improvement. Table 9
States with the Greatest Overall Health Score Improvement - 1990 to 2009
New York 37.5
Vermont 36.5
Hawaii 35.0
New Hampshire 34.8
New Jersey 32.5
Minnesota 32.5
The principal reasons for the changes in these states from 1990 to 2009 are:
- New York: The violent crime rate dropped by 60 percent from 1,007 to 398 offenses per 100,000 population, the infant mortality rate declined from 10.7 to 5.7 deaths per 1,000 live births and the prevalence of smoking declined from 28.7 percent to 16.7 percent of the population. In the last ten years, immunization coverage increased from 62.6 percent to 76.2 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.
- Vermont: The prevalence of smoking decreased by 46 percent from 30.7 percent to 16.7 percent of the population and the percentage of children in poverty declined by 39 percent from 15.9 percent to 9.8 percent of persons under age 18. In the last ten years, immunization coverage increased from 55.8 percent to 74.4 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.
- Hawaii: The prevalence of smoking decreased by 44 percent from 27.6 percent to 15.4 percent of the population and the infant mortality rate declined from 9.1 to 6.0 deaths per 1,000 live births. In the last ten years, the incidence of infectious disease declined from 47.5 to 17.6 cases per 100,000 population.
- New Hampshire: The prevalence of smoking decreased by 45 percent from 30.7 percent to 17.0 percent of the population, the infant mortality rate declined from 8.4 to 5.7 deaths per 1,000 live births and the rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease decreased from 392.3 to 255.4 deaths per 100,000 population.
- New Jersey: The violent crime rate declined by 40 percent from 541 to 327 offenses per 100,000 population, the prevalence of smoking decreased by 47 percent from 27.9 percent to 14.7 percent of the population and the infant mortality rate declined by 44 percent from 9.6 to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Minnesota: The prevalence of smoking decreased by 39 percent from 28.7 percent to 17.5 percent of the population, the infant mortality rate declined from 8.9 to 5.1 deaths per 1,000 live births and the percentage of children in poverty decreased from 21.2 percent to 15.6 percent of persons under age 18. In the last ten years, immunization coverage increased from 41.2 percent to 77.4 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.
Twenty-seven states are below the national rate of improvement and are slipping further behind in healthiness when compared to the nation as a whole. Oklahoma has declined 2.7 percent since 1990 while West Virginia, Mississippi and Kentucky have improved by less than 7 percent compared to the 20.1 percent improvement in the U.S. on average (Table 10). Table 10
States with the Least Overall Health Score Improvement - 1990 to 2009
Oklahoma -2.7
West Virginia 3.9
Mississippi 6.2
Kentucky 6.7
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