Louisiana ranks 10th lowest in children’s health care study
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Louisiana came in 42nd in a new study by WalletHub that examines children’s health care data among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on three key dimensions.
Louisiana earned a total score of 39.77 in the study by the personal finances website, with the maximum score being 100. The state ranked 39th in the category of children’s health and access to care; 43rd for “Kids’ Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity”; and 42nd for “Kids’ Oral Health.”
Within these categories, researchers measured 33 different health-related criteria, such as family doctors per capita, share of children in good health, percentage of youths with depression and daily exercise regimens.
About 95 percent of the nation’s 18-and-under population has health coverage, according to WalletHub, although the cost of health care has increased twofold since the 1980s.
Children’s health is especially important in the coronavirus era, the website reported.
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State Rankings on Children’s Health Care
Overall Rank (1=Best) | State | Total Score | ‘Kids’ Health & Access to Health Care’ Rank | ‘Kids’ Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity’ Rank | ‘Kids’ Oral Health’ Rank |
1 | Massachusetts | 64.06 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
2 | Vermont | 63.39 | 1 | 15 | 5 |
3 | District of Columbia | 61.49 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
4 | Rhode Island | 60.57 | 3 | 16 | 18 |
5 | New Jersey | 60.03 | 4 | 7 | 50 |
6 | New York | 57.05 | 10 | 3 | 8 |
7 | Hawaii | 56.96 | 6 | 13 | 49 |
8 | Connecticut | 56.12 | 9 | 6 | 32 |
9 | Maryland | 55.23 | 7 | 25 | 34 |
10 | New Hampshire | 54.06 | 8 | 33 | 27 |
11 | California | 52.42 | 12 | 17 | 29 |
12 | Minnesota | 51.55 | 16 | 14 | 15 |
13 | Delaware | 51.37 | 13 | 20 | 9 |
14 | Pennsylvania | 51.32 | 17 | 8 | 7 |
15 | Oregon | 50.88 | 19 | 5 | 13 |
16 | Virginia | 50.27 | 11 | 31 | 33 |
17 | Maine | 50.02 | 14 | 26 | 16 |
18 | Washington | 48.77 | 20 | 12 | 45 |
19 | Nebraska | 47.78 | 31 | 9 | 23 |
20 | Idaho | 47.12 | 25 | 21 | 25 |
21 | New Mexico | 46.99 | 15 | 39 | 36 |
22 | South Dakota | 46.97 | 22 | 23 | 26 |
23 | Illinois | 46.86 | 24 | 24 | 12 |
24 | Utah | 46.66 | 37 | 4 | 17 |
25 | Florida | 46.60 | 18 | 30 | 38 |
26 | Michigan | 46.28 | 34 | 19 | 14 |
27 | North Dakota | 46.18 | 44 | 1 | 4 |
28 | Iowa | 44.98 | 36 | 27 | 1 |
29 | Nevada | 44.98 | 21 | 28 | 51 |
30 | Colorado | 44.53 | 38 | 22 | 6 |
31 | Arizona | 44.18 | 30 | 32 | 30 |
32 | West Virginia | 43.92 | 33 | 37 | 3 |
33 | Wisconsin | 43.79 | 40 | 18 | 24 |
34 | South Carolina | 43.40 | 26 | 45 | 11 |
35 | Missouri | 43.36 | 27 | 42 | 47 |
36 | Kansas | 42.81 | 35 | 36 | 28 |
37 | Ohio | 42.74 | 23 | 46 | 41 |
38 | Alabama | 42.25 | 29 | 47 | 31 |
39 | Montana | 41.89 | 46 | 11 | 46 |
40 | Kentucky | 41.50 | 28 | 49 | 19 |
41 | Tennessee | 40.10 | 32 | 51 | 22 |
42 | Louisiana | 39.77 | 39 | 43 | 42 |
43 | Wyoming | 39.58 | 41 | 41 | 48 |
44 | North Carolina | 39.40 | 42 | 38 | 44 |
45 | Georgia | 39.31 | 47 | 29 | 10 |
46 | Arkansas | 39.10 | 43 | 40 | 35 |
47 | Alaska | 36.89 | 49 | 34 | 43 |
48 | Indiana | 36.69 | 50 | 35 | 37 |
49 | Mississippi | 36.02 | 48 | 48 | 21 |
50 | Oklahoma | 35.35 | 45 | 50 | 40 |
51 | Texas | 33.23 | 51 | 44 | 39 |
Source: WalletHub.com