Strengths:

• Low incidence of infectious disease
• Low rate of occupational fatalities
• Low rate of uninsured population

 

Challenges:

• High infant mortality rate
• High prevalence of binge drinking
• Low immunization coverage

 

Highlights:

• In Delaware, 190,000 adults live a sedentary lifestyle, and more than 200,000 adults are obese.
• In the last ten years, the rate of cardiovascular deaths dropped from 331.4 to 258.1 deaths per 100,000 population.
• In the past five years, the levels of air pollution decreased from 14.7 to 11.0 micrograms of fine particulate per cubic meter. It still ranks 41st among states.
• In the past five years, the percentage of children in poverty increased from 12.4 percent to 22.3 percent of persons under age 18.
• In the past five years, the rate of preventable hospitalizations decreased from 72.1 to 58.6 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

 

Disparities:

• In Delaware, obesity is more prevalent among non-Hispanic blacks at 41.1 percent than Hispanics at 28.9 percent and non-Hispanic whites at 26.4 percent; sedentary lifestyle is more prevalent among non-Hispanic blacks at 32.1 percent than non-Hispanic whites at 20.7 percent; and smoking is more prevalent among Hispanics at 23.3 percent than non-Hispanic whites at 18.3 percent and non-Hispanic blacks at 15.5 percent.

 

State Health Department Web Site: www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss