Strengths:

• Low incidence of infectious disease
• Low prevalence of low birthweight
• Low rate of uninsured population
• High rate of high school graduation

 

Challenges:

• Higher rate of cancer deaths than most other states
• Moderate prevalence of binge drinking

 

Highlights:

• The prevalence of low birthweight decreased 12 percent in the past year, from 7.0 percent to 6.1 percent of live births.
• The rate of preventable hospitalizations declined in the past ten years, from 66.9 to 50.6 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.
• Vermont has one of the lowest rates of sedentary lifestyle in the U.S.; however, 105,000 adults lead a sedentary lifestyle.
• In the past five years, the per capita public health funding increased 55 percent from $96 to $149 per person.
• In the past year, the infant mortality rate increased 12 percent from 4.8 to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
• In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty increased from 13.5 percent to 16.4 percent of persons under age 18.

 

Disparities:

• In Vermont, obesity is more prevalent among non-Hispanic whites at 23.6 percent than Hispanics at 19.0 percent.

 

State Health Department Web Site: www.healthvermont.gov