December 15, 2005

Montana Shows Significant Improvement in Annual Health Ranking

 

Montana was one of five states showing the most improvement over the past year in an annual ranking of the overall health of residents from each of the 50 states.

In a report released this week by the United Health Foundation in cooperation with the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, Montana ranked 21 st among the states, compared to 26 th last year. The report once again gave the Treasure State high marks for a low incidence of infectious disease, a low prevalence of obesity, and a high rate of high school graduations.

"We're delighted that Montana showed improvement and that public health practitioners were able to play a key role in leading this effort," said Jane Smilie, administrator of the Public Health and Safety Division of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. "But we can't rest on our laurels. There are still a number of untapped prevention opportunities that can reduce the number of premature deaths in our state and nation."

Minnesota topped the list of healthiest states, followed by Vermont and New Hampshire. Mississippi ranked 50 th . This year's report marks the 16 th annual attempt to rank states based on the health of their residents. It looks at 16 different measures from a variety of credible sources to produce a composite index of each state's health.

According to the report, Montana has made a significant improvement in its infant mortality rate and now ranks 13 th in the nation. The rate decreased from 9.8 deaths per 1,000 births in 1990 to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 births in 2005. However, the report noted, while the U.S. infant mortality rate has decreased 34 percent since 1990, several countries have substantially lower rates, including Sweden, Japan, Spain, Austria, and Canada.

Montana has also made significant improvements this past year in the percentage of children living in poverty, with a rate decreasing from 20.2 percent to 16.5 percent of the population.

"These rankings need to be used with caution as they're only relative comparisons among other states in the country and don't necessarily reflect the cultural diversity and trends of special populations within the state," Smilie said.

For example, the infant mortality rate among American Indians in Montana is significantly higher than the overall state rate, at 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, she noted.

She also said that, in a state with a relatively small population, a few people can mean a large percentage change that may or may not indicate real improvement. For example, she said, the report indicates that Montana ranks 22 nd among the states this year for its smoking rate, with a smoking prevalence of 20.4 percent. In 2004, Montana ranked 11 th in the nation with a population smoking prevalence of 20 percent. The prevalence estimate changed very little (4/10 th of a percent), yet the state dropped 11 places in the rankings.

"We need to recognize, too, that while cardiovascular disease death rates have declined over the past decade in Montana and the nation, an increase in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, along with a stable rate of smoking, could well reverse this trend," Smilie said.

The report indicates that, overall, the health of the U.S. population has improved 18.4 percent since 1990, with all 50 states showing positive change through 2005. However, it noted that the overall rate of health improvement has slowed considerably in recent years.

"Improving the health of Montanans requires a concerted commitment at the individual, community, state, and federal level," Smilie said. "At the individual level, we need to make better and smarter choices about our health, like avoiding tobacco, eating properly, and exercising regularly. At the community level, we need to mobilize our resources to make our environment more conducive to healthy lifestyles. And on the state and national level, we need to adopt effective public policies and invest our public dollars in ways that promote healthy behaviors and improve the availability of health resources, including adequate health insurance coverage and food and nutrition for Montana citizens.

According to the report, Montana ranks:

• 3rd for prevalence of infectious disease (4.6 cases per 100,000 people)
• 6th for prevalence of obesity (19.7 percent of population)
• 22nd for prevalence of smoking (20.4 percent of population)
• 25th for children under 18 living in poverty (16.5 percent of those under age 18)
• 47th for occupational fatalities (10.3 deaths per 100,000 workers)
• 46th for lack of health insurance (19.1 percent of population)
• 44th for motor vehicle deaths (2.1 deaths per 100 million miles driven)

The complete report is available at www.unitedhealthfoundation.org .

Page last updated: 06/15/2006