Key Public Health Indicators

This passage aims to make a brief comparison the public health systems of Louisiana and Washington based on several key public health indicators. In our analysis, we choose 3 indicators in each category: health status, resources and risk factors for measuring the differences. We select the indicators not only based on their importance in public health, but also on whether they can be integrated into a comprehensive reflection public health conditions. And based on these, we find 3 meaningful differences in the public health systems of two states for further analysis.

We use the data (America's Health Rankings, 2016) to make our comparison. The reason for choosing this dataset is that it offers reliable and comprehensive public health data

Immunization. It is measured by combined average z-score of the percentage of adolescents of age 13 to 17 years who have received 1 dose of Tdap since the age of 10 years, 1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, and 3 doses of HPV. Louisiana gets 0.655 in this area and Washington gets 0.287.

2c. Dentists. Among every 100,000 population, there are 48 practicing dentists in Louisiana and 71 practicing dentists in Washington.

3. Risk Characters. The three indicators of risk characters are smoking, obesity and children in poverty. All the three factors are closely related to multiple diseases. And they reflect factors of habits, lifestyle, and social status among the population, respectively.

3a. Smoking. It is measured by self-report as smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke. There are 24% of the population of Louisiana are smokers compared with the ratio of 15.3% in Washington.

3b. Obesity. The measurement of obesity is the self-report with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher in adults. In this measurement Louisiana has 34.9% of the population in obesity, while Washington has 27.3% of the population in

To focus on the important differences between public health systems between Louisiana and Washington, we choose the indicator in which the two states have the most disparity from each category: 1a. Diabetes, 2b. Immunization and 3c. Children in Poverty.

In Louisiana, 11.3% adults have diabetes, 27% higher than the ratio of 8.9% in Washington. It may partly due to the higher obesity in Louisiana. The higher prevalence of diabetes needs more doctors, medicine and other health resources for costly third prevention, so it is a heavy burden to public health in Louisiana in a long time. To fill the gap in the future, Louisiana can put more resource into primary prevention, such as promoting healthy lifestyle projects (in diets and exercise) in the community.

As well, Louisiana has 33.7% children in poverty, twice more than the ratio of 16.8% in Washington. This social risk factor has both direct negative effects on health, such as lacking financial access to health service, and indirect negative effects, such as lack of education in health and unhealthy lifestyle. And both effects are important obstacles to primary prevention. To reduce the effects of the gap needs not only the extension of public services but also reforms in economic and social policy for more benefits to the poor in