Unhealthy Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma remains one of the nation's least healthy states due to a high prevalence of smoking, limited access to health care and poor mental and physical health days, according

Monday, November 5th 2007, 7:57 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma remains one of the nation's least healthy states due to a high prevalence of smoking, limited access to health care and poor mental and physical health days, according to an annual assessment of the nation's healthiness.

The annual survey by the United Health Foundation released Monday ranked the overall health of Oklahomans 47th in the nation, down from 44th in 2006. Among other things, the report said the state's low ranking is due to a high rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease, with 412.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.

In a statement, Dr. Mike Crutcher, Oklahoma's commissioner of health, said he was disappointed the state's health status dropped three points since last year.

``In the past year, Oklahoma has experienced some noteworthy achievements that we felt should have improved our state's health ranking,'' Crutcher said.

Specifically, Crutcher said Oklahoma's immunization of children aged 19-35 months improved from 44th to 25th in the nation, with 80.4% of children now fully immunized against 10 potentially deadly diseases including polio and hepatitis B.

State health officials also have reduced the state's infectious disease rate by 60% since 1990, Crutcher said. The prevalence of smoking has decreased by 24% since 1990 although the annual rate has remained at about 25% since 2000, he said.

The state rankings are based on a comprehensive set of factors including personal behaviors, the quality of medical care, community environment and decisions made by public and elected officials, the United Health Foundation's report said.

Vermont was ranked No. 1, the first year Vermont has been at the top of the list of healthiest states. Mississippi is 50th this year, down from 49th in 2006. Mississippi has been in the bottom three states since 1990.

Also ranking below Oklahoma was Arkansas at 48th and Louisiana at 49th.

The report said Oklahoma showed some strength in several health categories, including a low prevalence of binge drinking at 13.4% of the population and a moderate incidence of infectious disease at 13.8 cases per 100,000 residents.

However, the report said many health challenges remain. They include limited access to primary care, with 79.7 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, and a high prevalence of smoking at 25.1% of the population.

It said that in the past year, the number of poor mental health days per month increased from 3.6 to 4.3 days in the previous 30 days.

Since 1990, the prevalence of obesity increased from 11.6% to 28.8% of the state's population, the report said.

It also said blacks experience 31% more premature deaths than whites and that residents in non-urban areas of the state experience 37% more premature deaths than those in the fringe counties of large metropolitan areas.

Crutcher said the Department of Health and a variety of other state agencies are working to reverse the prevalence of obesity, which has increased by 148 percent since 1990, as well as Oklahoma's high rate of cardiovascular deaths and limited access to primary care physicians.

``While we are disappointed in the new state health ranking, we are also even more determined to confront _ and overcome _ those challenges keeping our state from achieving significant health improvements,'' Crutcher said.

To read the report, click here.