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Colorado Receives 'C+' Health Grade in First Annual Health Report Card

Posted on: Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 09:00 CDT

DENVER, May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Colorado Health Report Card, a study released today by The Colorado Health Foundation, the state receives a "C+" grade for the overall health of its residents. While Coloradans often are recognized for their healthy lifestyles, the first annual study concludes that there is significant room for improvement -- particularly in regard to the health of the state's children. The Colorado Health Report Card focuses on specific ways to improve Coloradans' health and to establish a benchmark for measuring progress on the state's most pressing health issues.

Developed in conjunction with the Colorado Health Institute (CHI), the Colorado Health Report Card grades the state on 20 health indicators. These include the number of low birth weight babies, vaccination rates for young children, the percentage of adults without health insurance, rates of obesity among adults, number of deaths caused by heart disease and others. By grouping the indicators into pairs of risk factors and outcomes, such as children without health insurance (risk factor) and children without a specific source of ongoing primary care (outcome), the report card illustrates that improvements in the health indicator scores will significantly improve the overall health of Coloradans.

"We believe Colorado can be the healthiest state in the nation and the Colorado Health Report Card is a tool to reach that goal," said Anne Warhover, president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation. "We're urging policymakers, advocacy organizations, businesses, the medical community and individuals to embrace that goal and work together to make it a reality. The Colorado Health Report Card identifies specific ways to improve Coloradans' health and measure our progress. We'll use it to start a statewide conversation about making Colorado the healthiest state in the country."

Making the Grade Findings from the Colorado Health Report Card include: * Colorado's adults are healthier than its children: According to results from the report card's 20 health indicators, Colorado children receive a surprising "C" on their overall health. In comparison, the state's adults fare better with a "B+." Adults receive "A's" and "B's" on risk factors and outcomes ranging from obesity rates and diabetes, to cholesterol screening rates and heart disease deaths. Children, on the other hand, receive "C's" on almost all of their indicators, from vaccination rates and cases of whooping cough, to mothers who receive adequate prenatal care and have low birth weight babies. * The high percentage of uninsured people compromises health: The number of adults and children without health insurance in Colorado are graded a "C" and "D" respectively, ranking 38th and 44th in the country behind states including Alabama and Kentucky. Individuals without insurance are less likely to visit a primary-care physician for basic preventive medical treatment and their overall health is poorer than their insured counterparts. * Good grades shouldn't be taken for granted: While Colorado currently is a leader in the battle against obesity, the report card shows that maintaining that position means remaining vigilant about curbing habits that lead to obesity. This is particularly true among the state's children, who receive a "B" for obesity rates, but only a "C-" for the number of children who exercise at least 5 hours per week. Since exercise is a key factor in fighting obesity, the low score has ominous implications for the future of Colorado's children. Research shows that obese children are more likely to become obese adults with significantly increased health risks.

"As a foundation that's committed to improving our state's health, we're going to work with health decision makers, advocacy groups, health care professionals and other organizations to address issues highlighted in the Colorado Health Report Card," said Annie Wohlgenant, vice president of philanthropy for The Colorado Health Foundation. "The grades from the report card -- specifically those concerning the number of uninsured children -- give us the information we need to develop comprehensive policies to tackle the tough issues surrounding healthcare in the state."

To view the Colorado Health Report Card in its entirety, visit http://www.coloradohealth.org/

About The Colorado Health Foundation

The Colorado Health Foundation (formerly HealthONE Alliance) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization devoted to improving health and health care in Colorado. Its assets total $800 million, including an investment portfolio as well as an ownership interest in Denver's HealthONE hospital system. These assets serve the community through grants, medical education programs, health policy initiatives and direct care programs serving older adults, families, mothers and infants.

The Colorado Health Foundation

CONTACT: Kristin Mattison of Linhart McClain Finlon Public Relations,+1-303-383-4606, or cell +1-303-638-7620, kmattison@linhartpr.com, for TheColorado Health Foundation

Web site: http://www.coloradohealth.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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