Oklahoma ranks 46th in health report

<br>TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ High rates of smoking and heart disease helped place Oklahoma near the bottom of a ranking of states in a health report. <br><br>According to the UnitedHealth Foundation, Oklahoma

Tuesday, November 12th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ High rates of smoking and heart disease helped place Oklahoma near the bottom of a ranking of states in a health report.

According to the UnitedHealth Foundation, Oklahoma is 46th in the national survey, down from 45 in 2001 and 33rd in 1990. Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Arkansas occupy spots 47 through 50.

Other negative factors in the survey include high rates of uninsured residents, high total mortality and low support for public health care.

Oklahoma's positives include a good high school graduation rate, low motor vehicle deaths and low infant mortality, the study found.

Wyoming, Nevada and South Dakota showed the greatest improvement in health during the past year, while Mississippi and Alaska experienced the worst declines.

According to the report, New Hampshire was the healthiest state for the sixth time in the past 13 years.

The survey also found that the nation's infant mortality rate decreased from 10.2 to 6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1990. Oklahoma's rate improved 12 notches to 29.

The percentage of children living in poverty nationwide has declined by 23 percent since 1990, from 20.6 percent to 15.8 percent, according to the new report.

Oklahoma ranks 41st in the nation, with more than 20 percent of those younger than 18 living in poverty.