KY Moves Up in Annual Health Rankings
Mary Kuhlman, Managing Editor
Thursday, December 14, 2017
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- An annual check-up shows the Commonwealth is making improvements in some areas of health.
Kentucky moved up three spots in this year's America's Health Rankings report, placing 42nd - up from 45th in 2016. The findings were released by United Health Foundation this week.
Dr. Julie Daftari, chief medical officer with UnitedHealthCare in Kentucky, said the state has made major strides in reducing its uninsured rate. It is down 62 percent over the past five years to just under 6 percent of the population. But, she said there are many areas that need improvement, including health behaviors.
"There's a high rate of physical inactivity and obesity, which we know contributes to chronic health conditions like diabetes,” Daftari said. "We also know there's a high rate of smoking. "
Kentucky also has high cancer death rates, and a rising percentage of people diagnosed with diabetes. Daftari said poor access to health care could be contributing to these challenges - the state ranks 44th in the nation for the number of primary care physicians.
The report also highlighted the grip of the opioid epidemic. Daftari said drug deaths have increased 85 percent in Kentucky over the past decade.
"We know that drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S.” she said. “So I think it's definitely important for the citizens of Kentucky to realize that it's a significant health problem. "
The report does give Kentucky positive marks for its low violent crime rates, small disparity in health status by educational attainment, and for the 35 percent decrease in child poverty over the last three years.
get more stories like this via email
United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…
Social Issues
The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in …
Environment
Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …
Environment
April has been "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month," but the pests don't know that. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it's the …
Health and Wellness
The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …
Environment
Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …