America's Health Rankings
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VERMONT

Ranking:  Vermont is 1st this year; it was 2nd in 2006.

Strengths: Vermont ranks among the top ten states on 14 of the 20 measures. Strengths include a low percentage of children in poverty at 8.9 percent of persons under age 18, a low prevalence of obesity at 21.2 percent of the population, a high rate of high school graduation with 85.4 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years, high immunization coverage with 86.0 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receiving complete immunizations and a low premature death rate with 5,535 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population.  Vermont ranks higher for health determinants than for health outcomes, indicating that overall healthiness should remain high over time.

Challenges: The primary challenge is a high prevalence of binge drinking at 16.7 percent of the population.  Also, there are significant differences in premature death rates among races within the state.

Significant Changes:

↑ In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty increased from 7.4 percent to 8.9 percent of persons under age 18.

↓ In the past year, the rate of uninsured population decreased from 11.5 percent to 10.2 percent.

↓ Since 1990, the prevalence of smoking decreased from 30.7 percent to 18.0 percent of the population.

↓ Since 1990, the incidence of infectious disease decreased from 20.3 to 6.4 cases per 100,000 population.

Health Disparities: In Vermont, blacks experience premature death at about the same rate as whites; however, blacks experience 197 percent more premature death than Other Races.

State Health Department Web Site:     www.healthvermont.gov/
 


 

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Vermont                
  2007   2006   2000   1990  
DETERMINANTS - Personal Behaviors Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank Value Rank
Prevalence of Smoking (Percent of population) 18.0↓ 11 19.3 13 21.7 15 30.7 31
Binge Drinking (Percent of population) 16.7 37 15.8* 36* 17.4* 37* --- ---
Prevalence of Obesity (Percent of population) 21.2↑ 5 20.2 4 18 17 10.7 13
High School Graduation (Percent of incoming ninth graders) 85.4 6 83.6 7 80.9* 6* 82.7* 10
DETERMINANTS - Community Environment                
Violent Crime (Offenses per 100,000 population) 137 3 126 3 106 1 137 1
Occupational Fatalities (Deaths per 100,000 workers) 5.2 18 4.9 19 6.7 34 8.7* 17
Infectious Disease (Cases per 100,000 population) 6.4 8 7.1 9 10.3 5 20.3 13
Children in Poverty (Percent of persons under age 18) 8.9↑ 2 7.4 1 12.5 16 15.9 16
DETERMINANTS - Public & Health Policies                
Lack of Health Insurance (Percent without health insurance) 10.2↓ 9 11.5 15 10.3 18 10.7 20
Per Capita Public Health Spending (Dollars per person) $93 41 $93 41 --- --- --- ---
Immunization Coverage (Percent of children ages 19 to 35 months) 86.0↑ 4 81.5 27 85.2 1 --- ---
DETERMINANTS - Clinical Care                
Adequacy of Prenatal Care (Percent of pregnant women) 86.4 2 86.4 2 72.8* 37* 62.6* 44*
Primary Care Physicians (Number per 100,000 population) 167.6 4 169.5 1 --- --- --- ---
Preventable Hospitalizations (Number per 1,000 Medicare enrollees) 58.1 7 58.4 8 --- --- --- ---
All Determinants 17.2 1 15.8 1 9.5 6 4.8 19
                 
HEALTH OUTCOMES                
Poor Mental Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 2.9 9 3.1 17 2.8 14 --- ---
Poor Physical Health Days (Days in previous 30 days) 3.1 10 3.3 14 2.8 7 --- ---
Infant Mortality (Deaths per 1,000 live births) 5.3 7 5.3 8 6.5 12 9.2 14
Cardiovascular Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 287.9 16 298.1 18 343.8 23 409.1 28
Cancer Deaths (Deaths per 100,000 population) 195.4 17