Michigan

Michigan is tied with Illinois for 29^th this year; it was 28^th in 2003. Its strengths include a low rate of uninsured population at 10.9 percent, a low rate of motor vehicle deaths at 1.3 deaths per 100,000,000 miles driven, high access to adequate prenatal care with 80.6 percent of pregnant women receiving adequate prenatal care and a low occupational fatalities rate at 4.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. Challenges are a high prevalence of smoking at 26.1 percent of the population, a high prevalence of obesity at 25.2 percent of the population, a high rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease at 365.3 deaths per 100,000 population and a high infant mortality rate at 8.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. Health disparities in Michigan are present, as illustrated by the differences in premature death rates between black non-Hispanic individuals (14,787 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000 population) and white non-Hispanic individuals (6,698 years lost). Michigan ranks 23^rd for the combined measures of risk factors and 37^th for the combined measures of outcomes, indicating that it may improve its relative healthiness in future years if it continues with its improvements in reducing health risk factors.

In the past year, the rate of uninsured population decreased from 11.7 percent to 10.9 percent, the prevalence of smoking increased from 24.2 percent to 26.1 percent of the population and the high school graduation rate declined from 74.7 percent to 71.5 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years.

Since 1990, the percentage of children in poverty has declined from 22.1 percent to 14.6 percent of persons under age 18, and the violent crime rate has decreased from 780 to 540 offenses per 100,000 population.

To learn more about health and health initiatives in Michigan, visit the Michigan state department of health Web site at: www.michigan.gov/mdch

A dash (--) indicates data not available.
* Data sources and/or methdology may not be comparable for this year.