The UnSeen,
The UnCounted,
The Undiagnosed Network
"Conditions in society which
are not defined as a problem and for which alternatives are
never proposed, never become policy issues. Government does
nothing and conditions remain the same."
T.R.Dye,
Policy Analyst | ||||||||||
Mortality data are important in the measurement of
disease and consequently health in the planning of public health care.
Studying trends in mortality over time helps to understand how the
health status of the population is changing and assists in the
evaluation of the health system.
Mortality data also provide a basis for investigating the incidence of
disease, its severity and the quality of life before death. The patterns
of mortality in the community in terms of cause, age, sex, population
group, and geographical distribution, inform the work of
epidemiologists, medical personnel, and those working in health policy,
planning and administration.
These charts also can show significant physical and social conditions within the demographic area such as epidemiological issues. They also indicate either access or a lack of access to healthcare, whether a person has insurance or not. These rates can also show the impact on other social services, including basic education and the orderliness of urban living, and the access to modern medical knowledge in rural communities. Mortality rates can show social inequalities, including gender bias and racial disparities. Instead of just listing a bunch of numbers or graphs, we use comparisons with the data (use of some type of comparison is important because the comparison will show the difference between the 2 sets of data. This comparison can show disparities between the sexes, or racial differences). Either comparing the main state or racial data with the state average mortality rates for the entire state or with the national average rates. Most of the graphs will show a comparison from the first data set to the last to show the difference in the mortality rates.
These are the states and their break-downs:
Methodology for Determining Mortality Rates
Comments and Endorsements for this study
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Demographic (Average, Divisional, and Urbanization) Rates for the When looking at each of these charts, it is important to remember that there are approximately 300 million plus people living in the US. Depending on the area/chart that you are looking at, it takes more than just a few deaths to move the line of the curve out of its normal progression.
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Economic and healthcare disparity does exits. Access to the availability of healthcare is the key to the problem. Seeing a Doctor or healthcare provider in a timely fashion is the key to determining Access to healthcare. These mortality rates show this. If someone is ill in a rural area (chronic or acute problems) and is unable to get access to a qualified healthcare system, then (s)he is moved on to the next closer provider. Again, if the problem cannot be address, (s)he is moved on to the next town. This ripple effect will continue until either the patient dies or the problem is resolved. As evident by this report: Critical Condition: Examining the Scope of Medical Services in South Los Angeles When reading this report, pay close attention to hospital bed stays for each of the age groups (page 32, Chart 17), then read about the diversion rates for the various age groups and the distance that must be gone to receive medical care.
Hepatitis, AIDS, Research Trust (HEART) currently developed mortality rates: by state, by county, by gender, by race and when data is insufficient to analyze-we use Urbanization Rates (Large Central, Large Fringe, Medium, Metropolitan, Small, and NonCore-each of which can be broken down). The importance of this data is that we compared one group, whether it is gender, race, or state with comparable data. So that you, the viewer, can determine what is happening within a state or comparing a state to the Federal government data for mortality rates. By providing charts that compare similar groups, you can see what is occurring.
Mortality rates are defined as the ratio of deaths versus people alive. This data can show, especially large numbers, heavy loss of life, which these rates show a definite concern if they vary from the normal slope of the curve line. A person just needs to understand the basic concept of a mortality chart-few die when they are young, more as the population ages.
As you view these rates for the various states, you will notice an increase in mortality rates between the ages of 45 to 65 years of age. This increase will impact everyone. Access to medical care, impact on the social safety nets. An interesting report can be seen here called Critical Condition: Examining the Scope of Medical Services in South Los Angeles This report examines the impact upon the medical system. Everyone seeking medical assistance in the coming years will feel the effects of these mortality rates.
HEART has been developing a complete set of mortality tables for each of the fifty states. We have found noticeable and distinct patterns throughout this county, least of which is the Native American Community or Indigenous People. While Native Americans make up about one percent of the population they have a disproportion amount of deaths that occur within this one racial group. Unseen, Uncounted, and Undiagnosed Faces of Hepatitis C
While mortality rates cannot specifically define what the problem is, the rates do show that the problem exists. A high incidence of deaths within a specific age grouping can indicate a disease process-if nothing else a specific problem is occurring within that age grouping. A mortality rate can also indicate a lack of access to healthcare-this access can be distance to be traveled, lack of medical professionals or medical clinics/hospitals or just delay of medical treatment. Each of which can be shown with mortality rates. For mortality rates and comparisons for Native Americans click Native Americans
We can compare one race to another, such as: Native Americans vs. Asians 2007
We can compare one year to another, such as is Oklahoma for the Metropolitan classification:
1999 vs. 2007 for Native Americans Compared to Arizona State Averages
But more importantly, we can compare one state to another or one state to a grouping of states. Such as:
Comparing Alaska, Arizona, Oklahoma, South Dakota for 2004
Changes in mortality rates indicate problems, at times serious problems. Depending on the State, we can drill down to levels of the zip codes in others, Urbanization rates.
The United States has ignored the problem of the inequalities for many decades and the result of this action is just beginning to be seen.
If you look at this table below, you will see a large increase in the number of patient days for a hospital system within the US. What does this mean? People between the ages of 45-64, when admitted to a hospital are sicker, have more medical problems and need to stay longer.
Table from: Critical Condition: Examining the Scope of Medical Services in South Los Angeles
If there is no room at the hospital, then patients are diverted to other hospitals. There is a point where there will be no beds available, no matter the distance traveled.
Because mortality rates speak volumes, the impact on our safety nets, hospitals, medical professional or lack of.
Visit our listings of our Research on Mortality Rates, listed by State-then broken down by county. These listings go by race, and gender. If there is not enough information for a county break down within the state (too little population or very small) then that break down will be listed using the Urbanization concept utilized by the CDC
HEART has the ability to compare one state to another, one ethnic group to another. This data of the mortality rates for each of the states is only a small part of what we are able to do, if you would like to submit a request for a customize report, please contact jhoyt@heart-intl.net
And you can see why the Correctional System is broken within the United States here:
Prisons-the Epicenter of Infectious Diseases
Mortality Charts for the United States
When viewing these charts, only those charts that had the most complete data sets were used. Many areas within the US had such incomplete data that the data presented could not be used in many areas. (The Native American community is one such area-it was as if these racial communities had what some call "A Negative Life Value.") It is important to understand that the state chart is simply the average for the entire state which basically means that there are values that are above the above and below. We have tried to break down the data by: Year and Race and gender. All of the data has been gathered from various Governmental and State agencies. We are able to "drill-down" even further, by county or zip code. Because even areas within a state can vary. If you would like a break down to the lowest possible value, please contact jhoyt@heart-intl.net
We found much disparity between the wealthier states and races (primarily white) as compared to people of color. Poverty plays a large part in these mortality charts. Much of the Native American and Eskimo data was incomplete or even non-existent in states that have large Native American Communities.
These charts will be updated. Compare the charts, in some states there is a high mortality rates at specific age groupings while others are fairly good. As a visitor to the United States from Kenya was looking at the data for Washington DC stated, "We are doing better in Kenya than you are!"
This chart is for the entire United States (from The Human Mortality Database (http://www.mortality.org/ )
