Mississippi is worst state for children’s health care

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A recent report indicates that Mississippi children’s healthcare outcomes are the worst in the country. 

A WalletHub report revealed that children in Mississippi have the worst healthcare nationally. The state is ranked last for children’s access to health care, for the percentage of children in excellent or very good overall health, and the percentage of children with a recent medical or dental checkup. Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the country and the highest rate of childhood obesity.

Below are the factors WalletHub weighed in its analysis. 

Kids’ health & access to healthcare 

• Children’s health status
• Children’s depression rate
• Infant-death rate
• Child-death rate
• Vaccination rate
• Uninsured children rate
• Unaffordable medical bills rate
• Pediatricians & family doctors per capita
• Doctor’s visit cost
• Out-of-pocket cost for children’s health care
• Children’s hospitals per total number of children

Kids’ nutrition, physical activity & obesity 

• Healthy-food access
• Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption
• Fruit/vegetable consumption
• Fast-food restaurants per capita
• Dietitians & nutritionists per capita
• Exercise rate
• Overweight children rate
• Obese children rate
• Healthy eating and physical activity policies in schools
• Schools meeting nutrition standards
• Obesity-related state initiatives
• Proximity to recreational area

Kids’ oral health (total points: 5)

• Children’s oral health status
• Recent medical & dental checkups rate
• Population lacking access to fluoridated water
• State oral health plan
• School-based dental-sealant programs
• Dental treatment costs
• Free or low-cost dental clinics per capita
• State mandate for dental health screening
• Dentists participating in Medicaid for child dental services
• Dentists per capita

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity-related conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type two diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint problems. It recommends children aged 6-17 perform 60 minutes of physical activity daily. It reports that only 24% of children meet this guideline during the week.

The agency reports that regular physical activity can help children and adolescents improve cardiorespiratory fitness, build strong bones and muscles, control weight, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of developing health conditions such as

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Osteoporosis
• Obesity

Mississippi has the fourth lowest amount of children with excellent/very good teeth. According to the CDC, cavities are the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States. More than half of children aged 6 to 8 have had a cavity in at least one of their baby teeth. More than half of adolescents aged 12 to 19 have had a cavity in at least one of their permanent teeth.

Below are some tips for young children’s oral health. 

• Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Help your child brush their teeth until they have good brushing skills.
• If a child is younger than 6, parents should watch them brush. Make sure they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow.
• Ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.
• Drink tap water that contains fluoride. To see if your community’s water is fluoridated, you can view your water system on CDC’s My Water’s Fluoride website.