Health of the Nation

Nov 23, 2008 by Saswat Pattanayak

By Saswat Pattanayak

Texas is the state with highest percentage of people not covered by health insurance in the US. It is noteworthy only because it is where the President Bush and his family plan to move back to in January. Because as such, the rest of the country is not so much better off either.

The recent reports on the health of the United States are startling. The country with highest level of capitalism in the world has equally shocking lack of concern for its citizens. Is it merely coincidental or consequential?

I am selectively quoting from reports as compiled by Rankings compiled from a study by United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention. Data for the study were provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental Protection Agency, American Medical Association, Dartmouth Atlas Project and Trust for America’s Health.

Lack of Health Insurance (percent without health insurance):
Texas- 50%
Florida- 48%
Louisiana- 47%
Mississippi- 46%
Nevada- 43%
Oklahoma- 42%
Georgia – 41%
Arkansas- 40%

Prevalence of Obesity (percent of population):
Mississippi- 50%
Louisiana – 47%
Tennessee – 47%
Arkansas- 45%
South Carolina – 44%
Oklahoma – 43%
Georgia – 40%
Texas – 39%

Immunization Coverage (percent of children ages 19 to 35 months):
Florida- 10%
South Carolina- 17%
Georgia- 19%
Tennessee- 22%
Oklahoma- 25%

Primary Care Physicians (number per 100,000 population):
Tennessee- 17
Louisiana- 20
Florida- 33
South Carolina- 34
Georgia- 38