Least Healthy States

How is Universal health care going to change:

1. Births of Low Birthweight as a Percent of All Births -
2. Teenage Birth Rate ( -
3. Age-Adjusted Death Rate
4. Infant Mortality Rate
5. Age-Adjusted Death Rate by Malignant Neoplasms
6. Age-Adjusted Death Rate by Suicide
7. Estimated Rate of New Cancer Cases
8. AIDS Rate
9. Sexually Transmitted Disease Rate
10. Percent of Adults Who Are Binge Drinkers
11. Percent of Adults Who Smoke
12. Percent of Adults Obese
13. Percent of Adults Who Do Not Exercise
14. Beds in Community Hospitals per 100,000 Population
15. Safety Belt Usage Rate?

There "might" be some indirect insurance impacts for items like low birthwt, age-adjusted death rate, and STD's, but these are all MORE likely to be improved with behavior modifications than gov't interference. The rest are speculative, and some may actually be worsened in our society with universal coverage...i.e. people won't be motivated to now use their seatbelts (in spite of widespread laws), or lose wt, or stop smoking and binge-drinking, or having unprotected sex (resulting in teen-pregnancies (how is that a reflection of an insurance problem) and STD's, and engaging in behaviors that result in LBW infants or stop killing themselves.

STD's are on the rise in Europe; can I speculate that this is a failure of their socialized system? Same with the increasing AIDS rate in Europe?

I noticed the political comment, but one must be honest and recognize that the majority of these social factors which were errantly directed to make a case for socialized health care occur statistically more often in social and cultural groups that are not Republican.

T be really honest would be to recognize these folks are probably not Democrats either, chances are they have never voted, most likely they are so busy trying to keep afloat that politics is the last thing on their mind.

I hope I am misunderstanding you. Let me get this straight. Republicans do not smoke, do not get STDS or AIDS, do not drink , are not obese , exercise regularly, and wear seat belts? Republicans are now above all social aliments..Gee I am a Republican and didn't know I was so healthy and pure. Wrong....many Republicans back universal health care or at least acknowledge there is a need for reform..to many people are dying and suffering from lack of proper medical care and it crosses all political,
religous lines. Funny the only ones that aren't complaining are the ones next in line to be cut off.

Damnnnnnnn I am a Southern girl thru and thru.... Relocating is in my future however but the South is always my home. I don't get into political issues...but I don't think diseases discriminate...

Not wanting to start anything, but the least healthy...what percentage is:

illegal aliens

homeless from up north (who relocate for warmer climate) who bring their
their ailments with them

and as was mentioned, retirees

I don't think universal health care is the answer.

No surprise about Texas

There is a great deal of lack of empathy in Texas

Texans do not care. Texas has more commercials about littering than anything else in Texas. They care about littering but not about health care. I am disturbed by this. And ashamed

I have a dear friend who was just diagnosed with cancer. She moved home to Texas to be near her mother. In between jobs she gets diagnosed and is without health insurance. Guess what I discover? Texas is the number 1 state for unisured residents. We need Single Payer Now!! HR 676