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.
Odd to see Michigan doing so well given the economic hardships in the area. Methinks there is definitely a correlation here. Causation...well that's a lot harder.
Oh what the hell. Why not. EDIT: Monster pic. Sorry. Click this link to see election results cartogramed for 2012. Interesting.
Thanks. After reading the comments in the OP I too wondered what an overlay of the last election would look like.
Eerie, this looks like the map they used in the Presidential Race. ............. ............. .............
The overall rate has got be fairly consistent across the map; I really don't know what to do with these incremental change figures or why to expect them to not reverse at some point.
And Travis County, where I have lived in Texas these last 33 years, is yet again that blue speck in a sea of Texas red. I'm not at all surprised.