Hawaii no longer nation's healthiest state, according to report
Hawaiçi is no longer the healthiest state in the nation, according to a new report by Americas Health Rankings.
The report ranked Hawaiçi No. 4 in the nation, behind Vermont, Utah and Massachusetts.
The reports authors said Hawaiçi continues to do well in terms of low smoking rates, low levels of air pollution and uninsured residents, and a low prevalence of obesity.
It also noted the state has strong public health funding, ready availability of primary care physicians, and low rates of deaths from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
But the report noted the state still has work to do when it comes to binge drinking (18.1 percent of the population) and sustaining an increase in the percentage of children in poverty (14.3 percent).
Hawaiçi also did worse compared to 2008 in infectious disease cases per 100,000 people, immunization coverage and prenatal care.
The survey says it is the longest running annual assessment of the nation`s health on a state-by-state basis. The report is published jointly by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention.
The Hawaiçi-specific report can be seen on the Internet at http://www.americashealthrankings.org/yearcompare/2008/2009/HI.aspx.
