WASHINGTON
Ranking:
Washington is 12th this year; it was 15th in
2006.
Strengths:
Strengths include a low prevalence of smoking at 17.1 percent of
the population, a low percentage of children in poverty at 10.5
percent of persons under age 18, a low infant mortality rate at
5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births and a low rate of preventable
hospitalizations with 51.9 discharges per 1,000 Medicare
enrollees.
Challenges:
Challenges include low immunization coverage with 78.6 percent of
children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations, a
low high school graduation rate with 74.5 percent of incoming
ninth graders who graduate within four years and many poor
physical health days per month at 3.5 days in the previous 30
days.
Significant
Changes:
↓ In the past
year, the percentage of children in poverty decreased from 14.9
percent to 10.5 percent of persons under age 18.
↓ In the past
year, the rate of uninsured population decreased from 13.3 percent
to 11.8 percent. ↓ Since 1990, the infant mortality rate decreased
from 9.7 to 5.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.
↑ Since 1990,
the prevalence of obesity increased from 9.4 percent to 24.2
percent of the population.
Health
Disparities:
In Washington,
blacks experience 33 percent more premature death than whites, and
blacks experience 64 percent more premature death than Other
Races. Deaths from cancer in the state are 17 percent more
prevalent among blacks than whites.
State
Health Department Web Site:
www.doh.wa.gov/
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