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SOUTH CAROLINA

Ranking:  South Carolina is 42nd this year; it was 48th in 2006.

Strengths: Strengths include a low prevalence of binge drinking at 13.4 percent of the population, a moderate percentage of children in poverty at 15.6 percent of persons under age 18 and high immunization coverage with 83.2 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations.

Challenges: Challenges include a low high school graduation rate with 60.6 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years, a high violent crime rate at 766 offenses per 100,000 population, a high prevalence of obesity at 29.4 percent of the population and a high premature death rate with 9,493 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population. 

Significant Changes:

↓ In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty decreased from 19.4 percent to 15.6 percent of persons under age 18.

↓ In the past year, the rate of uninsured population decreased from 17.3 percent to 15.9 percent.

↓ Since 1990, the rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease decreased from 441.4 to 321.5 deaths per 100,000 population.

↓ Since 1990, the infant mortality rate decreased from 13.0 to 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Health Disparities: In South Carolina, blacks experience 52 percent more premature death than whites. Deaths from cancer in the state are 24 percent more prevalent among blacks than whites.  Residents in non-urban areas of the state experience 32 percent more premature death than those in the fringe counties of large metropolitan areas.

State Health Department Web Site:     www.scdhec.net/
           


 

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South Carolina                
  2007   2006   2000   1990  
DETERMINANTS - Personal Behaviors Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank
Prevalence of Smoking (Percent of population) 22.3 37 22.5 36 23.6 33 27.1 8
Binge Drinking (Percent of population) 13.4 12 12.8* 15* 12.3* 13* --- ---
Prevalence of Obesity (Percent of population) 29.4 47 29.1 47 20.6 34 13.6 43
High School Graduation (Percent of incoming ninth graders) 60.6↑ 50 59.7 50 53.2* 49* 67.8* 43
DETERMINANTS - Community Environment                
Violent Crime (Offenses per 100,000 population) 766 50 767 50 903 48 665 42
Occupational Fatalities (Deaths per 100,000 workers) 8.5 42 8.4 39 7.3 38 7.6* 12
Infectious Disease (Cases per 100,000 population) 25.6 42 26.3 43 32.8 32 36.7 33
Children in Poverty (Percent of persons under age 18) 15.6↓ 26 19.4 37 17.5 29 21.3 32
DETERMINANTS - Public & Health Policies                
Lack of Health Insurance (Percent without health insurance) 15.9↓ 33 17.3 41 14.8 35 12.8 28
Per Capita Public Health Spending (Dollars per person) $219 10 $219 10 --- --- --- ---
Immunization Coverage (Percent of children ages 19 to 35 months) 83.2↑ 14 78.5 35 78 16 --- ---
DETERMINANTS - Clinical Care                
Adequacy of Prenatal Care (Percent of pregnant women) --- 29 70.5* 29 74.3* 31* 56.7* 49*
Primary Care Physicians (Number per 100,000 population) 106.6 30 105.3 33 --- --- --- ---
Preventable Hospitalizations (Number per 1,000 Medicare enrollees) 76.2 29 75.1 29 --- --- --- ---
All Determinants -7.1 44 -11.4 49 -8.4 47 -2.5 37
                 
HEALTH OUTCOMES                
Poor Mental Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 3.4 34 3.6 41 2.7 9 --- ---
Poor Physical Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 3.5 31 3.7 35 3.1 15 --- ---
Infant Mortality (Deaths per 1,000 live births) 8.9 45 8.7 46 9.6 48 13 49
Cardiovascular Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 321.5 34 329 34 379.9 41 441.4 47
Cancer Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 204.1 31