America's Health Rankings
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CALIFORNIA

Ranking:  California is 25th this year; it was 23rd in 2006.

Strengths: Strengths include a low prevalence of smoking at 14.9 percent of the population, a low occupational fatalities rate at 3.5 deaths per 100,000 workers, a low infant mortality rate at 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, a low rate of cancer deaths at 189.6 deaths per 100,000 population and a low rate of preventable hospitalizations with 63.1 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

Challenges: Challenges include many poor mental and physical health days per month at 3.8 and 3.7 days in the previous 30 days, respectively, a high rate of uninsured population at 18.8 percent and a high incidence of infectious disease at 23.7 cases per 100,000 population.

Significant Changes:

↓ In the past year, the incidence of infectious disease declined from 24.8 to 23.7 cases per 100,000 population.

↑ In the past year, the prevalence of obesity increased from 22.7 percent to 23.3 percent of the population.

↑ Since 1990, the prevalence of obesity increased from 9.8 percent to 23.3 percent of the population.

↓ Since 1990, the infant mortality rate declined from 9.0 to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Health Disparities: In California, blacks experience 67 percent more premature death than whites.  Residents in non-urban areas in California experience 29 percent more premature death than residents in the fringe counties of large metropolitan areas. 

State Health Department Web Site:     www.dhs.ca.gov/
 


 

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California                
  2007   2006   2000   1990  
DETERMINANTS - Personal Behaviors Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank
Prevalence of Smoking (Percent of population) 14.9 2 15.2 2 18.7 3 25.6 4
Binge Drinking (Percent of population) 15.4 26 14* 20* 15.5* 27* --- ---
Prevalence of Obesity (Percent of population) 23.3↑ 16 22.7 14 18.7 21 9.8 6
High School Graduation (Percent of incoming ninth graders) 73.9 32 74.1 32 67.3* 34* 68.5* 41
DETERMINANTS - Community Environment                
Violent Crime (Offenses per 100,000 population) 533 37 526 37 704 42 918 48
Occupational Fatalities (Deaths per 100,000 workers) 3.5 3 3 2 3.9 7 8.4* 16
Infectious Disease (Cases per 100,000 population) 23.7↓ 40 24.8 41 48.1 45 70.6 46
Children in Poverty (Percent of persons under age 18) 18.1 33 18.5 34 20.3 41 22 36
DETERMINANTS - Public & Health Policies                
Lack of Health Insurance (Percent without health insurance) 18.8 41 18.8 46 19.1 46 17.9 43
Per Capita Public Health Spending (Dollars per person) $132 29 $132 29 --- --- --- ---
Immunization Coverage (Percent of children ages 19 to 35 months) 80.3↑ 27 77.9 41 70.5 35 --- ---
DETERMINANTS - Clinical Care                
Adequacy of Prenatal Care (Percent of pregnant women) 78.7 18 78.7 18 76.8* 20* ---* 31*
Primary Care Physicians (Number per 100,000 population) 116.8 21 115.3 23 --- --- --- ---
Preventable Hospitalizations (Number per 1,000 Medicare enrollees) 63.1 10 62.5 12 --- --- --- ---
All Determinants 2.3 25 1.7 28 0.9 25 -1.6 34
                 
HEALTH OUTCOMES                
Poor Mental Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 3.8 43 3.5 37 3.2 35 --- ---
Poor Physical Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 3.7 38 3.5 22 3.3 29 --- ---
Infant Mortality (Deaths per 1,000 live births) 5.4 9 5.1 3 5.8 7 9 12
Cardiovascular Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 320.9 33 328.1 33 350.2 27 388.5 22
Cancer Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 189.6 10