Women's Mortality Rate

This map shows the trend for the mortality rate of women from the early 90's through 2006.



The original report is behind a paywall at Health Affairs, so here is a psychologist and pediatrics professor at Ohio State to offer comment:

It is shocking, but not too terribly surprising once you start looking at the map. It's no secret about the south and the minimal services available. Perhaps there is a racial component there and southern black women and native american women in Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Montana might be bringing the numbers down, but then how does one explain WV and the Rio Grande Valley of NM? And if that were the case, why are we just accepting it and not doing anything about it? You could argue the division is more between urban and rural, but that rationale has some big holes. It seems clear to me that the division is a combo of economics and government with some rural issues thrown in... plus, I wonder how overlayed maps showing obesity and smoking would look... but then, wouldn't those factors affect men in a similar fashion? I'd also like to see this map updated with new data since the economic crash.

Anyway, Texas is interesting because of the difference between west and east. WY is interesting because the only blue county is Jackson Hole/Yellowstone. NV is interesting because the blue counties there are Las Vegas and the interstate corridor between Sacto and SLC. WV and Arkansas are the only states with red counties and without a blue county.

 

What an odd thing to say.