When it comes to health, Kansas is improving in some areas and declining in others.
According to America's Health Rankings, a 2009 study recently released by United Health Foundation, Kansas has experienced a a decline in binge drinking, incidence of infectious diseases and smoking.
How Kansas has done in America's Health Rankings.
But, there has been an increase in obesity, infant mortality and lack of primary care physicians.
The study, which has been done for 20 years, ranks Kansas 24th, one spot down from last year. The Wheat State’s lowest ranking was in 2007 at No. 25, and its highest ranking was in 1991 at No. 8.
The study examines 22 core measures such as violant crime rate, high school graduate rate, availability of primary care doctors, number of children living in poverty, and preventable hospitalizations.
“While the state has made some improvements, there is still much work to be done in Kansas,” said Rod Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “Over the past year the prevalence of obesity has seen an increase and the amount of public health funding in Kansas remains troubling.”
Twenty-eight percent of the state’s population is obese. Researchers estimate that the direct health care cost of obesity for Kansas is $792 million annually.
Meanwhile, Kansas ranks 45th when it comes to the amount of state and federal funding dedicated to public health. This year, the state received $41 per person, up from $38 in 2008. The state that receives the most is Hawaii at $220.37 per person, and the lowest is Wisconsin at $35.43. The average is about $73.
Vermont was ranked as the healthiest state, followed by Utah, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New Hampshire. The state with the worst ranking was Mississipipi, which was followed by Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana and South Carolina.
“I don’t like being average,” said Dan Partridge, director of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, about the state’s ranking.
He said the growth of obesity is a concern. He said communities need to do a better job of motivating and encouraging others to change their behaviors. A couple of years ago, he sought funding for a health educator, but was turned down.
Now, he is actively participating in LiveWell Lawrence, a group of organizations, businesses, schools and people who are working to integrate healthy eating and regular physical activity into every aspect of community life. According to LiveWell Lawrence, 50 percent of the Lawrence population is overweight or obese.
“It’s not about where you are at now,” he said. “It’s about where you are going.”
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spiff (anonymous) says…
More proof Kansas is the warm, gooey center of America.
nobody1793 (anonymous) says…
Kansas: As mediocre as you think.
ylime3499 (anonymous) says…
I really hope you two (spiff and 1793) do not live in Kansas otherwise... leave (in caps). You're both probably in the 28% of the "gooey center" spiff and 1793... I bet you're pretty mediocre yourself! I think more people need to get off their rear and explore this beautiful state. I was in western Kansas (yes there is space in the state between Topeka and Denver) on a dirt road and found a stream that I sat beside for hours with out a soul in sight--beautiful.
WHY (anonymous) says…
ylime--- you are exactly right. In Kansas the most beautiful thing there is in this state is a dirt road with a ditch next to it.
75x55 (anonymous) says…
Deprivation heightens the senses.
Abundance deadens the senses - can't number the people I've met from Denver and other areas in Colorado that see mountains as something that gets in the way.
Or in the immortal words of Sgt Hulka - 'Lighten up, Francis.'
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
hey, we are beating missouri!
esj2003 (anonymous) says…
ylime = pwned
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
So move nobody1793. I have been to many places and Kansas is as good as it gets in my humble opinion.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
uh, irritating the shew-shew fox news-digest wannabe?