Most Unhealthy State
Louisiana now has another dubious distinction... The state has been ranked at the very bottom of the list when it comes to health. The United Health Foundation analyzed all 50 states based on various health, environmental, and economic data to come up with the state by state health rankings. Louisiana is now ranked last, being passed up by Mississippi. Are you concerned about our low ranking? What can be done to improve health care in Louisiana? Do you feel our citizens are unhealthy? And what type of health care do we get in Louisiana?
Louisiana falls far behind the rest of the country in preventive health efforts. If you want to change the horizon in terms of overall health, intensive prevention efforts in conventional and alternative arenas are needed.
Posted by: Ed | December 04, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Q. Are you concerned about our low ranking?
A. No.
Q. What can be done to improve health care in Louisiana?
A. Adopt what is being done in the State that is ranked the highest.
Q. Do you feel our citizens are unhealthy?
A. Am not a doctor. Am not qualified to reply.
Q. And what type of health care do we get in Louisiana?
A. The type that produces our low ranking.
Posted by: Moi | December 04, 2008 at 12:46 AM
Insurance companies are reimbursing less and less money to our doctors. This results in good doctors leaving the area and the remaining doctors tend to treat their patients like an assembly line...running patients through as rapidly as possible in order to make as much money as possible. Unless insurance companies start reimbursing doctors a fair price we will never get good care in Louisiana
Posted by: monica | December 04, 2008 at 01:36 AM
Not only are we failing in preventive care, but also in providing appropriate care for those with life limiting and terminal illness. The Center to Advance Palliative Care released a state-by-state report card that is in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Louisiana gets a "D".
Posted by: Michele | December 04, 2008 at 07:05 AM
I'd like to add something here...
Louisiana no longer allows "public" smoking yet obesity is the #1 killer -- not smoking and not second hand smoke.
So, you want a better health rating -- lose weight...join a gym...stop eating junk food...ban soft drinks...ban alcohol...ban meat...
Are you getting the point? Personal choice is just that...this is quickly becoming a socialist country where the MINORITY and the GOVERNMENT dictate what the rest of us can or can not do.
Personally, I'm in good health...My family is in good health and beyond that I DO NOT CARE.
Posted by: Mom | December 04, 2008 at 08:02 AM