Infant mortality disparity grows in Appalachia, study finds

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Adam Beam, Associated Press
 Updated 5:05 pm, Monday, August 7, 2017


FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Placing much of the blame on smoking, a study chronicling the ongoing health crisis in Appalachia has concluded that the 13-state region suffers from a growing disparity in infant mortality and life expectancy, two key indicators of "a nation's health and well-being."

The study , published in the August issue of Health Affairs, compared infant mortality and life expectancy rates in Appalachia with the rest of the United States between 1990 and 2013. It found while the rates were similar in the 1990s, by 2013 infant mortality across Appalachia was 16 percent higher than the rest of the country while life expectancy for adults was 2.4 years shorter.

While the region has been the focus of the opioid epidemic in recent years, the study found one of the biggest culprits was likely the prevalence of smoking and the region's tendency to be "more accepting of tobacco use as a social norm." Gopal K. Singh, a co-author of the study and a senior health equity adviser with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, noted nearly 20 percent of Appalachian women report they smoked during pregnancy. In the rest of the country, it's 8 percent.
 
"Smoking takes a tremendous toll on the health of Appalachians," the authors wrote.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Infant-mortality-disparity-grows-in-Appalachia-11740221.php

[ck4829]

1. As long as there's no liberal or Muslim telling them want to do, they won't mind tiny baby coffins

They'll even get to choose what coffin they get, take that liberals and globalists!

[Skittles]

4. what an ugly sentiment

[ck4829]

5. It's not pretty, I don't like typing it, but it's reality

Obviously, not everyone in the Appalachian region is like this, but this is what a lot of them would prefer and what we have to face.

Not saying it doesn't make this perception go away.

[Skittles]

7. I think the people of Appalachia are disturbed by infant mortality

no matter what they support

[atreides1]

8. I disagree

I don't believe they're disturbed, I believe that they've come to accept it as inevitable! And in some cases, many allow their religious beliefs to guide them...just a part of God's plan!

[Skittles]

9. done here

[EllieBC]

10. I admire your psychic ability.

If you think people, especially parents, aren't worried about infant mortality than you really should get out more.

Using your logic, on the good liberal west coast, the parents must not care if their kids die from preventable diseases as they have some of the lowest vaccination compliance rates in the US.

[NickB79]

11. If they were disturbed, they'd take action

At the very least vote for politicians that expand health care access to the poor and cut their use of tobacco while pregnant. They have not so far.

You can say rising child mortality in your community is disturbing, but actions speak louder than words. If, in a few years, the rate flips and starts going down as it should, I will gladly eat crow.

[adigal]

12. No, they are not. You say that, cause it makes you feel better about people

But if they cared about things like infant mortality, they wouldn't support Republicans.
Appalachia is what the USA would be without the blue states. Which I sure wish we could do. Leave the red states behind.

[Skittles]

13. the word is BECAUSE, not CAUSE

and I am DONE here

[procon]

2. And they will oppose any public assistance program that could avoid such

needless tragedies. No prenatal care, no health insurance, no addiction treatment efforts, no early anti-smoking campaigns, no food or decent living conditions, but by god, they'll still vote for any damn Republican!

[Judi Lynn]

6. You bet they will, as good racists. Their owners want them to stay that way, too. n/t

[dalton99a]

3. It is God's plan