BALTIMORE, July 28, 2009
U.S. Kids' Well-Being Lags in Key Areas
While Recent Children's Health Data Shows Improvement, Poverty, Teen Births Are Worsening
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A comparison of data on children's well-being in America between 2000 and 2006-2007 showed improvement for some health and education indicators, but economic indicators showed worsening trends. (AP)
While there has been measurable improvement in the condition of America's children since 2000 according to several key health and education indicators, four indicators of children's well-being (including the number of children living in poverty) have worsened, according to data released today.
"The 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book," compiled by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation, profiles the well-being of American children according to key health and socio-economic indicators, comparing data from between 2000 and 2006-2007 to measure progress and to rank indicators on a state-by-state basis.
The new data shows that five key indicators of a child's well-being in the United States - infant mortality rate; child death rate; teen death rate; high school dropout rate; and rate of teens not in school and not working - have improved since 2000.
But in four key areas - low-birthweight babies; children living in families whose parents lack full-time employment; children in poverty; and children in single parent families - conditions have worsened.
In addition, the teen birth rate - though below what it was in 2000 - is rising, the first increase in a decade.
The "KIDS COUNT Data Book" incorporates data from 2006 for health indicators, and 2007 for socio-economic and education indicators.
Laura Beavers, coordinator of the national KIDS COUNT project, said the improvement in almost all health indicators is welcome news, but that overall improvement lags compared to what was seen in the 1990s.
What is more, Beavers noted that the economic indicators reflect the conditions at the time of the most recent available data (2007), well before the worst effects of the recent economic downturn - such as the doubling of the unemployment rate - were experienced.
She said the worsening of economic indicators in states like Michigan and Ohio shows these latest figures are "the canary in a coal mine" in determining the impacts of the economy on children.
Beavers said that while the current data shows slightly more good news than bad for children, "there are some trends going in the wrong direction."
Overall, Beavers said, "It’s not on par with what we saw in the 1990s."
For one, after more than a decade of steady decline, the teen birth rate is trending upward, with rates increasing in 41 states. While still below what it was in 2000 (48 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19), the national rate increased between 2005 and 2006, from 40 to 42 births. Among the states, the teen birth rate ranged from 19 in New Hampshire to 68 in Mississippi.
This is especially troubling because, Beavers pointed out, babies born to teen parents are more likely to be born with low birthweight.
(kidscount.org)
Also, while the poverty rate for children remains between 17 and 19 percent during this decade, the 2007 rate of 18 percent means there were 900,000 more children living in poverty than there were in 2000. Beavers called that "a number that spurs our call for change."
"The progress we've made falls far short of what is possible," said Senior Vice President Patrick McCarthy.
He said it is critical for government policy makers to have the best data available in order to better inform decisions affecting families.
To that end, he called on the federal government to make sure the 2010 census is adequately funded and well-managed, and to improve outdated measures of poverty. He also pointed out that regulatory differences and the use of incompatible technologies have made it difficult to integrate data collected at the state and local levels.
The online Data Book, which McCarthy previewed, is a new Web-based database that allows users to check child data at the national, state, county and city level, as well as create customized maps, trends lines and charts.
The President and CEO of the Casey Foundation, Douglas W. Nelson, said that what is demanded by the current technology environment is a more effective collection of data at federal, state and lower levels.
"Systems and organizations charged with helping disadvantaged families and communities succeed must capitalize on new opportunities afforded by today’s information revolution to bolster their efforts to measure and improve outcomes," he wrote in the report released today.
10 Key Measures of Child Well-Being:
Areas of Improvement:
The infant mortality rate slightly improved in 2006, at 6.7 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Best rate in 2006: Washington (4.7 deaths per 1,000 live births)
Worst rate in 2006: Mississippi (10.6 deaths per 1,000 live births)
The child death rate fell in 2006, to 19 deaths per 100,000 children ages 1 to 14, from 22 deaths per 100,000 in 2000.
Best rate in 2006: Connecticut (9 deaths per 100,000 children ages 1-14)
Worst rate in 2006: Alaska (33 deaths per 100,000 children ages 1-14)
The death rate for youth ages 15 to 19 dropped from 67 deaths per 100,000 teenagers in 2000, to 64 deaths per 100,000 in 2006.
Best rate in 2006: Rhode Island (34 deaths per 100,000 teens ages 15-19)
Worst rate in 2006: Arizona and Arkansas (98 death per 100,000 teens ages 15-19)
The high school dropout rate fell. In 2007, 7 percent of teenagers age 16-19 were not in school and had no high school diploma, compared to 11 percent in 2000.
Best rate in 2007: North Dakota (2 percent)
Worst rate in 2007: Nevada (11 percent)
The percentage of teens (ages 16-19) not attending school and not working dropped slightly, from 9 percent (2000) to 8 percent (2007).
Best rate in 2007: Minnesota and North Dakota (4 percent)
Worst rate in 2007: Nevada (13 percent)
Areas of Worsening:
The percentage of low-birthweight babies (less than 5.5 lbs) increased from 7.6 percent to 8.3 percent - a rise of nine percent - between 2000 and 2006, to the highest level seen in four decades.
Best rate in 2006: Alaska (6 percent)
Worst rate in 2006: Mississippi (12.4 percent)
Nationally, the teen birth rate is below what it was in 2000, but it rose between 2005 and 2006, increasing from 40 to 42 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19. Forty-one states saw an increase in the teen birth rate in 2006, while only six states and the District of Columbia experienced a decrease.
Best rate in 2006: New Hampshire (19 births per 1,000 females)
Worst rate in 2006: Mississippi (68 births per 1,000 females)
In 2007 there were 24,281,000 children living in families whose parents lacked full-time, year-round employment, or 33 percent. This represents an increase from 32 percent in 2000.
Best rate in 2007: Utah (24 percent)
Worst rate in 2007: Mississippi (43 percent)
The percentage of children living in poverty (income below $21,027 for a family of two adults and two children) increased, from 17 in 2000 to 18 percent in 2007. There are 900,000 more children living in poverty in the U.S. than in 2000.
Best rate in 2007: New Hampshire (9 percent)
Worst rate in 2007: Mississippi (29 percent)
There was a small increase in the percentage of children living in single-parent families, from 31 percent in 2000 to 32 percent in 2007.
Best rate in 2007: Utah (18 percent)
Worst rate in 2007: Mississippi (44 percent)
States' Overall Ranking (Top / Bottom) on Children's Well-Being:
1. New Hampshire
2. Minnesota
3. Utah
4. Connecticut
5. Massachusetts
6. Iowa
7. North Dakota
8. Vermont
9. New Jersey
10. Wisconsin
11. Nebraska
12. Maine
13. Kansas
14. Washington
15. Rhode Island
36. Florida
37. North Carolina
38. West Virginia
39. Nevada
40. Arizona
41. Kentucky
42. Georgia
43. New Mexico
44. Oklahoma
45. South Carolina
46. Tennessee
47. Arkansas
48. Alabama
49. Louisiana
50. Mississippi
The "KIDS COUNT Data Book" uses the most up-to-date data available from Federal agencies. 2007 economic and education data come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. 2006 data on births and deaths come from the National Center for Health Statistics.
For more info:
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- Hey, Conservatives & Ronald Reagan worshippers, what happened? I thought we we're the "Shining City on a Hill," & it was our "Manifest Destiny" to be the "Greatest Nation on the Face of the Earth." Boy, won't Ronnie be Disappointed!
- Reply to this comment
- Do you honestly think that living in a 'red state' or a 'blue state' and comparing statistics, gives you an accurate picture of whose policies "work"?
It is precisely because I lived in an area that used to be "blue" that I swung from liberal to conservative. The so-called "Rust Belt" used to be economically prosperous, and we all voted Dem because we were pro-labor. But the Dems didn't deliver what they promised, there was no "Great Society", no end to poverty, not even an end to any of the social problems they "tackled", like race relations or environmental harm. They did NOTHING except take our votes & our money & move to the coast, leaving behind "projects" that didn't work. That's true in like every city in the entire "rust belt" area.
Now, the liberals are trashing the west coast. They got their programs, they didn't figure out how to pay for everything - and we'll see what happens, but when you start delivering services, you free people from responsibility, obligation, or expectation in return for being told they're entitled to free govt cheese, and you don't have a plan to pay for it all, what does that get you? - Reply to this comment
- Blue states on top of ALL of the categories, and the red states are abysmally at the bottom of ALL categories.
You don't need a rocket scientist to figure out whose policies are hurting kids, and whose aren't. - Reply to this comment
- Recent bills in Congress do not clarify how underlying problems will be corrected ? inefficient distribution of services, poor quality control, and a profit driven industry dominated by self interest entrepreneurs and middlemen. Dysfunctional private insurance is a big part of the problem, adding billions in overhead yet contributing zero value to actual care ? a glaring imbalance the free market manufacturing sector would have weeded out long ago. And as we can see millions of dollars in campaign contributions are heavily skewing the debate toward big insurance and profit based policies.
National media is partly to blame, the main reason for this email. For example, there is virtually zero coverage of modern efficient non-profit clinic models and how they can be expanded. Not the stereotypical down and outs, but those that treat the insured as well as the uninsured, Medicaid and Medicare patients. In fact, hundreds of insured residents in my area prefer the local clinic over family practitioners for medical and dental services because of its convenient hours, quality care, and lower cost. Yet not a peep about low cost delivery in thousands of leading news reports.
What IS crystal clear at this point ? we can no longer tolerate exclusive business contracts between profit center ?providers? (formally doctors and hospitals), grossly inflated pharmaceuticals, an artificially constricted supply of family practitioners, policy agendas written by campaign contributors, and revolving door regulators ? and simply frame discussions in simplistic terms of ?more coverage? and voodoo ?socialism?. Otherwise, despite all the hoopla, vastly expanded private insurance and unlimited taxpayer funding, American healthcare will continue to rank 37th in performance, and No. 1 in cost. - Reply to this comment
- When kids are not raised with a moral compass, and all they know is gratification (i.e. X-box 360/PS3/PSP, newest cellphones, fastest car, trendiest clothes) kids end up having kids. Girl's left with a baby and the guy runs off to wherever.
Berkeley - nothing wrong with 'birthing' (as you put it) if the parents can support the birth and what follows, the problem is so many people just 'birthing' and expecting someone else to step up and pay for it. - Reply to this comment
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- Since when would the definition, of a "Moral Compass," state "Morality," is determined by an entertainment gaming system; while we're at it, lets throw in Television, Amusement Parks, Vacations, Friends, also "No Doubt!" Yourself, rather a parent who shares your idealalities such as: by Dgunner July 29, 2009 7:16 AM EDT
There needs to be a program to drag the deadbeat parents off thier parents couch and put a shovel in thier hands or a mop or a bullet in the head. If the taxpayers have been supporting thier child for say five years and they have been discovered to be healthy and hiding ? Then these pos americans owe this country that many years in physical labor. Also if you are discovered to hiding a dead beat parent wether they be friend family or lover or future breeder of more bastard children then you should be made to work off half the debt owed by the pos.GRAND PARENTS AND PARENTS HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME AND STAY OUT OF CHURCH UNTIL YOU STEP UP TO THE LAWS OF THE LAND. BE NOT LAWLESS. Also "I bluntly FEEL this guy would kindly agree with you:" by mike18881 July 28, 2009 9:05 PM EDT
Why is it that if it's negitive it's always blacks? If it's positive it's akways whites? These BANEFULLY COMMENTS "LACKING EVEN a sHrED of "Optimistic Opinions, LET ALONE KNOWLEDGE CONTINUE ON, AS a WATER FAUCET LEFT WIDE OPEN; it's Extremely Shockingly Disgusting and Abhorrently Immature while lacking even a touch of an older persons viewpoint or perspective, as no doubt, I'm certain you all have been assuming??? Check THIS COMMENT OUT: by Meg003 August 1, 2009 5:49 PM EDT
Possibly because these statistics show what happens when young teens believe they can get paid to have children. Stay at mama's home, play with the baby, and draw a check: that is what these girls believe they will be doing. The reality is not nearly so pleasant. MEG003: "you are likely holding here:" "The Dumbest Comment, Opinion or Rather Lack Of Even a Miniscule amount of Knowledge!" To "assume" that a teenager or in your words "these girls" would actually, EVEN CONSIDER: "wow, I think I'll get pregnant, have a baby and live on the GOVERNMENTS CHECK's from here on out, is rediculous, stupid and lacking any clear cut thinking on your part whatsoever......" To think, Meg003 or whatever the heck your name is, this sort of thing is sickening, stupid, irresponsible and disgustingly immature on your part, also, have you "EVER" heard of, seen, or let alone lived on the GOVERNMENT's "HAYDAY, PAYCHECK or FINANCIAL PARTY, as YOU would ASSUME???" It's not much of a check or support for that matter, MEG003, I mean, maybe you ought to do a bit of research on things before making a fool of yourself, and furthermore, anyone who would be out of their "Faculties Enough To Do What You Propose Here, is Obviously, AGAIN!" "Out of any faculties, they ever had, do have or once did, due to the simple, plain fact: to do what you state, would take someone/a girl so frieking stupid or rather retarded that, we're talking zero laughing matter here..." Also, to Mike18881: Please crawl back into "Your CAVE, or Whatever disgusting goo of CRAP you crawled out of!!!" To ACTUALLY, "STATE, BLACKS are always associated with negative/negativity, especially now and in the current ERA, we LIVE in MIKE (Do You Know What, ERA Means, and Why Is It: Guys NAMED MIKE are always SO IGNORANT, Lacking EVEN a SHRED of Intelligent Thought)! Why is it GUYS Named Mike18881 are so INCREDIBLY RACIST, while LACKING Upstairs, Downstairs, or anywhere it counts? I know why!!! Because guys named Mike and "No Question Whatsoever," a guy by the name "Mike18881" are a bane to society... Especially all guys, by the name: Mike18881 and while we're at it, guys named Mike who are racist PRICKS against BLACKS!!! I know one thing, I can assuredly state within this community forumn of idiots mostly, aside from the few sound folks here! It's a Baneful Weapon to all Society when, such a plethoric number of souls, waste away on a comment board and forumn; stating that racism is still alive and well, stating that teenage girls have sound enough minds, as well, know so much: "they are able minded and holding so much knowledge, that they know they can live such an exuberant Vacation of a life! If they just have a baby, or two or three while their at it..." Only statement I can make after reading a board like this one, which is: "Why, why, and why again are people so, so narrow, zero and lacking minded???????????"
- Since when would the definition, of a "Moral Compass," state "Morality," is determined by an entertainment gaming system; while we're at it, lets throw in Television, Amusement Parks, Vacations, Friends, also "No Doubt!" Yourself, rather a parent who shares your idealalities such as: by Dgunner July 29, 2009 7:16 AM EDT
- Big, greedy, right wing health care insurance corporations couldn't care less about other people's children. Same goes for the corporatist Republicans.
- Reply to this comment
- Why does the teen birth rate include women over 18? I thought it was OK to start having seks once you turned 18. Therefore, getting knocked up should be OK too, right?
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- There needs to be a program to drag the deadbeat parents off thier parents couch and put a shovel in thier hands or a mop or a bullet in the head. If the taxpayers have been supporting thier child for say five years and they have been discovered to be healthy and hiding ? Then these pos americans owe this country that many years in physical labor. Also if you are discovered to hiding a dead beat parent wether they be friend family or lover or future breeder of more bastard children then you should be made to work off half the debt owed by the pos.GRAND PARENTS AND PARENTS HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME AND STAY OUT OF CHURCH UNTIL YOU STEP UP TO THE LAWS OF THE LAND. BE NOT LAWLESS.
- Reply to this comment
- Why is it that if it's negitive it's always blacks? If it's positive it's akways whites?
- Reply to this comment
- Interesting - in MS, 43% of children were living in families whose parents lacked full-time, year-round employment yet the percentage of children living in poverty was 29%. I just find it amazing that the second percentage isn't as high or higher than the first.
- Reply to this comment
- For all those anti-choice folks out there, this pretty well proves that it's not about the kids.
If it were, you wouldn't oppose those government programs that provide health care to pregnant women, school lunch programs, et. al. and all the other things that really DO take care of the children. - Reply to this comment
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- Did you notice that the red states treat their children badly I mean look at which states are at the bottom of the rung.
So yes you are correct Republicans do not care for children. Look Bush veto's the children's health care bill for about what it would cost in Iraq for what a week and yet the Republicans would not veto him.
Like I said the only thing that concerns a conservative is division issues they do not care about country only power.
- Did you notice that the red states treat their children badly I mean look at which states are at the bottom of the rung.
- "In addition, the teen birth rate - though below what it was in 2000 - is rising, the first increase in a decade."
So much for Bush's "faith based" abstinence only programs, huh?
I guess Jesus didn't feel like stepping up and getting involved, and preventing these pregnancies? - Reply to this comment
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- Hungry, from what I have seen of you on here, I like you, and a lot of times we have very similar outlooks on things, I even agree with you that abstinence only DOES NOT WORK. I just wish you would not bash my faith so much. I understand you do not agree with it, and that is fine. It just bothers me when you speak that way. I will say that No Jesus does not get involved with birth control, we are supposed to know right from wrong and act accordingly. But when parents do not teach their children right from wrong and then continue to not educate them on pregnancy prevention, it is not the kids fault that they did not know.
- debinok1 - I was agreeing to your post, until the last sentence - can't just blanket all parents.
Parent rights have been kicked at, cut at and slowly whithering for years. Kids have more power than their parents - and they know it! All a kid has to do is say 7 little words - "He touched me in my special place" BAM parent is in jail! No questions asked. (don't laugh, this is true! It happened to a friend of mine because his kid wanted to go to a party and he said NO - result - found innocent, and though it hurt him tremendously, he signed over his rights to the children services - Why - because thanks to the kid, children services kept telling the parent how he was to raise his own kid - even though he was innocent - so he told them that since you don't feel I can raise the kid right - you raise him!)
Then you have the "Time-Out" people - Don't spank your kids that is child abuse - What should I do? "Johnny, stop hitting your mommy with that hammer or your going in to time-out - oops, you killed her, now go into time-out."
Teachers have no control over their classrooms, nor does school administrators have any control.
You have sex being blasted at kids everyday - TV, video games, it's evereywhere! The Government themselves obviously agree, because they give free condoms and birth-control pills out in schools. We have 7th and 8th graders getting pregnant - Babies having babies?
Just how many EXTENZE both for men and now women, YAZ, Viagra, and those fancy BOOM EXPERIENCE, because they used this special lube, do kids need to see? Oh, and what about the big boobed nighti, "Don't let me catch you in your basement with your plants down" - and then shows a kid smiling with a big, tall, straight canti plant between his legs? (Now were they selling erections or or something else... I forgot, I guess I was caught with my Plants down - oops.)
Anyhow, you see my point. Yes, granted there are those parents that don't give a rats A..; were they pregnant before/during/after high school. And as for parents teaching right from wrong, I guess its the parents fault for all the millions (honestly, no clue as right number - a wild guess) of juvies and adults in jail/prisons, etc.
Sorry, but I could never stand people blanketing parents, when it is actually maybe 5% of parents who don't care - But, as more and more Babies have Babies, that percentage will rise drastically. I can't offer an answer, once you take control away, it can not be claimed again.
- Well numbers 1 and 3 could be improved if we had a government that cared more about america than every other country in the world.
#1 low birth weight is mainly caused by poor, or no prenatal care, stress, and poor nutrition.
#3 Lack of parental employment, caused mainly by lack of jobs, jobs being sent overseas, companies being forced into bankruptcy.
But no our government is more concerned about how they appear to the global community than their own. After all the people in CHINA need jobs too, and the way our government works CHINA needs them MORE.
Time to take back our government and fix this.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/are-we-confident-our-government-is-working-for-us - Reply to this comment
- Oh My GOD!!!!
Let's do something FOR THE CHILDREN!!!
(Yeah... like get one of those idiotic "Kids Come First" automobile license plates.) - Reply to this comment
