INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana continues to struggle with high smoking rates, air pollution and a low proportion of public health funding.
Indiana Falls Three Spots, To Number 41, On Nationwide Health
That’s according to the latest edition of America’s Health Rankings, a national snapshot of the nation’s health put out by the United Health Foundation.
Indiana fell three spots in the 2018 rankings, to No. 41. Hawaii was the healthiest state, while Louisiana was the least healthy.
“Over the 29 years the United Health Foundation has been publishing the America’s Health Rankings, the state of Indiana has (ranged) from the mid-20s to the low 40s,” said Dr. Rhonda Randall, a spokeswoman for America’s Health Rankings. “The general trend has been a slow move downward in the rankings.”
Indiana ranked lowest in per-capita public health funding (48th), immunizations for children aged 19 to 35 months (46th), the number of dentists per 100,000 people (45th), the adult smoking rate (44th), and fine-particle air pollution (44th).
The Hoosier state’s strengths include the percentage of 13- to 17-year-olds who got the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) vaccine (second) and meningococcal vaccine (eighth), overall incidence of infectious disease (11th), overall adolescent immunization rate (13th), and incidence of pertussis infection (13th).
A summary of the report also pointed out that Indiana’s challenges include its high prevalence of frequent mental distress and rate of cancer deaths (both 42nd), while praising the state for its high percentage of high school graduates (19th).
Charlie Brown, a former Democratic state representative from Gary who was recently elected to the Lake County Council, said the state should invest more money upstream, like making sure women get prenatal care, increasing their likelihood of having healthy babies, who are more likely to become healthy teenagers and adults.
“Yes it’s going to cost us now, but 10, 20 years from now it’s going to save us billions of dollars,” he said.
He also said he wishes the state would take the smoking ban he helped shepherd through the Legislature further by outlawing cigarette use in casinos and all bars.
“Folks are going to come up with smoke-related illnesses … and more than likely the government is going to have to take care of those health care issues that occur,” he said.
Indiana’s smoking rate has increased in each of the last two years.
The state is also part of a disturbing national trend: The U.S. obesity rate is at an all-time high, with 33.6 percent of adults considered obese, the same number as Indiana.
A summary of the report also pointed out that Indiana’s challenges include its high prevalence of frequent mental distress and rate of cancer deaths (both 42nd), while praising the state for its high percentage of high school graduates (19th).
Charlie Brown, a former Democratic state representative from Gary who was recently elected to the Lake County Council, said the state should invest more money upstream, like making sure women get prenatal care, increasing their likelihood of having healthy babies, who are more likely to become healthy teenagers and adults.
“Yes it’s going to cost us now, but 10, 20 years from now it’s going to save us billions of dollars,” he said.
He also said he wishes the state would take the smoking ban he helped shepherd through the Legislature further by outlawing cigarette use in casinos and all bars.
“Folks are going to come up with smoke-related illnesses … and more than likely the government is going to have to take care of those health care issues that occur,” he said.
Indiana’s smoking rate has increased in each of the last two years.
The state is also part of a disturbing national trend: The U.S. obesity rate is at an all-time high, with 33.6 percent of adults considered obese, the same number as Indiana.
“It’s almost like we’re two different states,” said state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, a Valparaiso Republican and chairman of the Senate health committee. “When you look at the issue of economic development, the business, regulatory environment, we’re at the top of the charts.
“On the flip side, for overall health you’re saying 41st — we need to take a hard look at that. Because it’s important. It’s important for quality of life. It’s important to attract young people.”
He said the state must continue to address its high infant mortality rate(43rd) by continuing to pass legislation like it did last year, when Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a law to implement a system to ensure pregnant women and newborns are cared for in the proper facilities.
Charbonneau said the Legislature plans to look into assigning navigators to women on Medicaid who have high-risk pregnancies. The community health workers would visit the homes of the expectant mothers in the hopes of guiding them to healthy births.
But the state senator believes improving the state’s health will come down to two more fundamental issues: personal responsibility and education.
“A lot of the factors that lead to this low ranking are things that if people just lived healthy lifestyles, we could avoid some of these problems,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are some folks that have grown up and have never been exposed to a healthy lifestyle and personal responsibility. So I think education goes right along with those issues.”
Source: NWI Times