Least Healthy States

[HM2VikingRN]

These are rank ordered from 41-50. (50 is least healthy).

http://www.morganquitno.com/hcrank07.htm

Oklahoma

Arizona

Texas

Georgia

South Carolina

Florida

Nevada

Mississippi

New Mexico

Louisiana

Factors negatively affecting health.

Births of Low Birthweight as a Percent of All Births -

Teenage Birth Rate ( -

Percent of Mothers Receiving Late or No Prenatal Care -

Age-Adjusted Death Rate -

Infant Mortality Rate -

Age-Adjusted Death Rate by Malignant Neoplasms -

Age-Adjusted Death Rate by Suicide -

Average Annual Family Coverage Health Insurance Premium -

Percent of Population Not Covered by Health Insurance -

Percent of Children Not Covered by Health Insurance -

Estimated Rate of New Cancer Cases -

AIDS Rate -

Sexually Transmitted Disease Rate -

Percent of Population Lacking Access to Primary Care -

Percent of Adults Who Are Binge Drinkers -

Percent of Adults Who Smoke -

Percent of Adults Obese -

Percent of Adults Who Do Not Exercise -

http://www.morganquitno.com/hc07fact.htm

[Simplepleasures]

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.

[burn out]

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?

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.

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.

[GoldenLove]

Damnnnnnnn I am a Southern girl thru and thru....:uhoh21: 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...

[psalm, RN]

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.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

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.

I think the real issues are centered around a failed social contract that does not deliver consistent access to health care, low HS graduation rates and a variety of cultural factors that increase the R/O illness and injury. Good primary care reduces the need for specialised care and treatment which drives up medical costs. MN has high graduation rates for HS, lower medical costs, greater emphasis on primary care, ensuring universal access, and lower death rates for its medicare patients. Make your own conclusions about how to reshape the social contract of your local community to achieve better health outcomes and as always:

And a prime contributor to bad health is:

If you're a woman, or a man who cares about his mother, sister, or daughter, there's something you need to know. Seventy percent of those living in absolute poverty in our world -- that is starving or on the edge of starvation -- are female. Not only that, in our wealthy United States, women and children are the mass of the poor and the poorest of the poor. Women are entitled to know that statistically women worldwide are far more likely to be poor than men. Even if you're a guy, this "women's issue" is about your mother and your grandmother. It's about your sisters and it's about the future of your daughters.

http://alternet.org/rights/50727/?page=1

[Iam46yearsold]

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

[mdfog10]

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

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

Poverty is increasing and that will lead to worsened health....

http://www.cbpp.org/11-24-08pov.htm

[mdfog10]

Now that so many are losing their jobs and thus their healthcare benefits , this has to be fixed pronto. The answer is HR676 Single Payer ! Lets cut out the obscene middlemen of insurance companies and provide a single standard of care for everyone. "What is a life worth?":redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe

[Chico David, BSN, RN]

People have mentioned a number of common factors among the states listed. But there's another that no one has mentioned yet. I haven't looked it up, but at a quick look I am pretty sure that all of them are so-called "right to work" states (actually "right to work for less"). That means a state where unions are absent or nearly so, which means lower wages, less likely to have health benefits on the job, more poverty and all that goes with poverty.

[Chico David, BSN, RN]

Just went and checked my post from a few minutes ago - not quite right - one exception - New Mexico. All of the others are in the "right to work" category.

[Iam46yearsold]

People have mentioned a number of common factors among the states listed. But there's another that no one has mentioned yet. I haven't looked it up, but at a quick look I am pretty sure that all of them are so-called "right to work" states (actually "right to work for less"). That means a state where unions are absent or nearly so, which means lower wages, less likely to have health benefits on the job, more poverty and all that goes with poverty.

I just had a few girlfriends from Ca fly in for a visit. They are all nurses also. They looked at the home I live in. And what I paid for it. Then they did some math, Comparing Wages to benefits, to cost of living, to insurance, to housing, to tax base. They are dismayed that Texas comes out so far ahead of them financially for nurses. They look at their homes that are comparatively 2 to 4 times more expensive depending on the area. They have their sweet homes at 1000 to 1200 square feet and they think they are doing well. They now think I live in a mansion comparatively. So much for this right to work state with lower wages that get you so much more bang for the buck.

Keep your Cali wages. Wont swap it for my far lower cost of living.