Promise 1
Maternal, Infant, and Children's Health
Facts & Figures
Birth
- Florida has an infant mortality rate of 7.2 infant deaths per 1000 births in 2007.1
- There was also an increase in the percentage of low-birthweight babies, with 9% of Florida babies born with low birth-weight.2
- Low-birthweight is a risk factor for infant and child mobility, developmental delays, or chronic health problems
- Beginning prenatal care in the first trimester can provide a pregnant woman the best chance of a healthy pregnancy
- Almost 30% of pregnant women in Florida do not begin receiving pre-natal care in their first trimester.2
Prevention/Insurance
- There are over 4.3 million children residing in Florida.2
- 18.8% or 797,000 Floridian children are un-insured3, the national average is 11%.4
- Children with ongoing health insurance are more likely to have a medical home, be up-to-date on immunizations, and use the emergency room less for care.5
- About 23% of Florida’s 19-35 month olds had not received the recommended number of immunizations for the 4:3:1:3 series that includes immunizations for diphtheria, tetanus, and polio.5
- At least 11% of children had not met the recommended immunization level for chicken pox immunizations
- Over 9 million children nationally are uninsured.4
- Investments in school nurses and health care for child care programs can help in early identification and treatment of children with special needs.
- The recommended nurse-to-student ratio is 1 to 750 students, in 2004-05 Florida’s school health service nurse to student ration was 1 to 2,895.6
- According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 1.7 million children were unable to get needed medical care because the family could not afford it, and 2.5 million children had their medical care delayed because of worry about cost.7
Health
- Nationally 15.8% of children 6-11 are overweight a number that has tripled since 1980 (CDC)8
- Children who are overweight are at greater risk of obesity as adolescents, as adults and for life-shortening adult health problems such as: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, gallbladder disease, and some cancers.
Mental Health
- Mental Health problems affect one in every five children, and serious emotional disturbances affect one in 10 at some point in their life.
- Young children with disabilities and conditions which place them at risk for developmental delays are at greater risk of child abuse, and their families are at greater risk for divorce and suicide.
Dental Health
- 23% of children in the United States have untreated dental decay.9
- In 2007 nearly 4.2 million children aged 2-17 years had unmet dental needs because their families could not afford dental care.7
1 Florida Department of Health Office of Statistics and Assessment.. Total Infant Mortality 2005-07; http://www.FloridaCharts.org.
2 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Florida: Births of Low Birth weight as a Percent of All Births, 2006. S; Florida: Percentage of Mothers Beginning Prenatal Care in the First Trimester, 2006; Florida: Population Distribution by Age, states (2006-2007), U.S. (2007). http://www.StateHealthfacts.org
3 Families USA. The Number of Uninsured Children in Florida Continues to Climb. Oct 30,2008. http://www.familiesusa.org
4 The Census Bureau. People without Health Insurance Coverage by Selected Characteristics: 2006-2007. http://www.census.gov
5 Childs Trend Data Bank. Immunization.; http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org
6 Floirda Department of Health Service Management. July 9, 2008.
http://www.floridashealth.com
7 Center for Disease Control. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children. National Health Interview Survey. 2007. January 2009. http://www.cdc.gov
8 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood: Overweight and Obesity. Feb 10, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov
9 National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Children (2-11). 2004. http://www.nidcr.nih.gov
*For any questions, or a full list of sources please contact Children’s Campaign at campaign@iamforkids.org*