State Health Rankings, How are Utah’s 30 first

place rankings workin’ for you, Utah? Very well.

Second of a six part series on the Marijuana initiative petition.

Utah’s lowest infant mortality rank compared well against Oklahoma’s which was 39th places behind. Each year Utah saved 20 Deacons quorums (or Bee Hives) a year, and as there are 19 temples, operating, under construction, or announced in Utah, that is more than one Deacons quorum every year in each temple district (which usually has about 30 stakes). That is 200 deacons quorums in a decade.

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Utah’s lowest diabetes rate compared well against Oklahoma’s which was 42 places behind. Diabetes is the nation’s seventh-leading cause of death, has three major types: type 1, type 2, and gestational. Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure, nontraumatic lower- limb amputations, and blindness in adults, also of death, including heart disease and stroke. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all cases. Onset of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through improving diet, increasing physical activity, and losing weight. Medical expenses for individuals with diabetes are 2.3 times higher than those without diabetes. Costs of type 1, type 2, gestational, undiagnosed diabetes, and prediabetes exceeded $322 billion in 2012.

Utah’s lowest cancer death rate compared against Oklahoma’s 42nd place. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death. More than 1.6 million new cancer cases and 585,000 cancer deaths occur annually. Lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers contribute substantially to cancer mortality. Quitting smoking at any age lowers the risk of developing lung cancer. However, lung cancer does not only develop in those who smoke; an estimated 7,300 people die from lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke annually. Deaths from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cervical cancer may be avoided through screening programs that detect cancer in early stages while it is most susceptible to treatment. The direct medical cost of cancer was $88.7 billion in 2011.

The practical effect of the lowest cancer death rate can be explained as follows. Repeating, cancer is the second leading cause of death. In 2015 Utah’s cancer death rate was 40 deaths per year lower per 100,000 population than the average cancer death rate in the United States. That meant 1200 Utahns were alive in 2016 as compared to the U.S. average, even more in Utah when compared for the states above that average death rate. By having faith in the health rules of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, many lives were spared. This figures out to 2 fewer deaths per stake in Utah every year, 1200 fewer families had funerals, 1200 more parents or grandparents watching their families grow.

Utah’s 2010 chronic drinking annual report ranked 2nd lowest at 3.6% as compared to the United States mean at 6%. These are women having eight, and men having 15, or more drinks. Drinking in excess for prolonged periods of time greatly increases the risk of developing health problems such as liver disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and unintentional injuries.[2] Excess alcohol consumption in youth can increase risk of potential alcohol dependence. Chronic drinking is a symptom of alcohol addiction but is not an exclusive behavior of alcohol dependence.[3] On average, 30 years of life are lost due to chronic alcohol.[4] In 2010 excessive drinking cost the United States $249 billion, due to missed work, additional health care expenses, and increased crime.[5]

Utah’s lowest gambling addiction means the odds for a compulsive gambling disorder is increased 23-fold amongst men and women who suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder. Young adults in college settings are twice as likely to be gambling addicts. Estimates of 7 percent of all American college students struggle with gambling addiction. Roughly 50 percent of gambling addicts will commit crimes to support their addiction. Utah is the only state with no gambling, gaming, or wagering.

Low alcohol abuse and low gambling addiction would appeal to employers who would not have to risk crimes and theft from employees, stealing to support their addictions.

That isn’t all. Bloomberg did a glowing article entitled ‘How Utah Keeps the American Dream Alive.’ Citing economists, Utah has discovered secrets as having the highest rates of absolute upward mobility in the nation, giving some credit to the Mormon church and other interests. Utah is Number one in both married adults and in the percentage of children being raised by married parents. Alcohol sales are far lower than in other states. In 2016, Bustle posted a glowing article entitled ‘’ The Lowest Divorce Rate, And It’s Also The Happiest State In The U.S..’’ People wrote ‘’ Pack Your Bags – This Is the Happiest State in America’’ citing lowest rate of heart attacks, lowest divorce rate, and highest volunteerism.

Wallethub listed 2016’s Happiest States in America, giving Utah First overall rank (combining emotional & physical well being, work and community environment, number of work hours, highest sports participation, low obesity, low divorce, etc).   Citing U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Feeding America, Corporation for National and Community Service, Gallup-Healthways, Trip Advisor, Hedonometer.org, Social Science Research Council, Regents of the University of Minnesota and WalletHub research.

At least once between 2005 and 2017, The U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey ranked Utah first (best) or fifty first (best) for – Average Household size, Percent of households with one or more people under 18 years, Percent of households that are married couple families with own children under 18 years, Percent of households that are married couple families, Average household size, Percent of people with disability, Marriage rate per 1,000 women 15 years and older (Marriages in the last year per 1,000 women, Median age at first marriage for men, Percent of children under 6 years old with all parents in the labor force.

What does this mean apart from rankings? The Witherspoon Institute (2006) stated : “[C]hildren raised in single-parent families without the benefit of a married mother and father are two to three times more likely to experience serious negative life outcomes such as imprisonment, depression, teenage pregnancy, and high school failure, compared to children from intact, married families—even after controlling for socioeconomic factors that might distort the relationship between family structure and child well-being.”

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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