Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Commission to Build a Healthier America
The report is the first to rank states on infant mortality and children’s health status based on key social factors. Researchers found that 16 percent of children ages 17 and younger are in less than optimal health, based on their parents’ reports – a rate that varies across states from a high of 23 percent in Texas to a low of 7 percent in Vermont. National and state rates also varied dramatically by parental income and education.
The state-by-state report was released in conjunction with a new online tool from the commission that allows users to examine the current level of education in their own county or state, and observe changes in death rates proportional to college attendance. The tool is available at www.commissiononhealth.org/calculator. Free, 32 pages. www.commissiononhealth.org/Documents/ChildrensHealth_Chartbook.pdf.
