Goals
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Indicator Measures
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How are we doing?
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| 7.1 Retaining the Region's Competitive Edge in the Health Sector |
7.1.1 Research funding, Massachusetts and Metro Boston |
Massachusetts has been consistently ahead of all other Leading Technology States in the capture of research and development funds. In 2003, the last year for which data are available, per capita federal health research funding was $386. By comparison, Connecticut’s funding per capita was $139, North Carolina’s was $132 and California’s was $99. |
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7.1.2 "Right Start" rank in child health outcomes, Boston vs. 50 largest US cities |
Boston ranked in the top 10 among 50 cities on 5 of 8 measures of healthy births; the rankings are designed so that a higher rank is a better outcome for newborn health. |
| 7.2 Unimpeded Access to Health Care Services |
7.2.1 Percentage of residents without health insurance by gender and race, Massachusetts |
In 2006, an estimated 6.5% of the Metro Boston population and 6.0% of the Massachusetts population were entirely without health insurance, and many more had inadequate coverage to meet their needs |
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7.2.2 Mental health services capacity for children and adults, Massachusetts |
The National Alliance for Mental Illness’ 2006 report Grading the States gave Massachusetts a grade of C- —roughly the middle of the pack—based on a review of nearly 40 aspects of mental health care. |
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7.2.3 Language interpreters at major hospitals and health centers, Boston
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Languages spoken in Boston’s network of community health centers reflect the needs of residents in neighborhoods served. These include Spanish (86%), dialects of Chinese (24%), Vietnamese (28%), Haitian Creole (45%), French (45%), Portuguese (41%), and Cape Verdean Creole (21%). |
| 7.3 Low Rates of Disease and Mortality |
7.3.1 Leading causes of hospitalization and death, Boston |
In 2004, the last year for which data is available, the leading causes of hospitalization in Boston were: pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, followed by psychoses, gastroenteritis, and substance abuse. |
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7.3.2 Drug- and violence-related injuries and deaths, Boston |
The number of victims of violence-related injuries in Boston increased by 36% between 2003 and 2005 following a long-term decline of 49% between 1995 and 2003. In 2006, the total number of homicides in Boston was 75, nearly double the 39 homicides in 2000 (but still below the totals in the late 1980s and early 1990s). |
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7.3.3 Rates of STDs, hepatitis C and HIV infection, and AIDS mortality by race, Boston and neighborhood |
In 2005, the average city-wide rate of sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) in Boston was 815 incidents per 100,000 residents, an increase of 14% above the 2000 rate. |
| 7.4 Elimination of Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities in Health Outcomes |
7.4.1 Infant mortality and birth weight by race/ethnicity, Boston |
Boston’s overall Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) continued to decline in 2005 to a rate of 5.2, down from 6.0 in 2004 and 10.3 in 1992. However, in 2005, Boston’s overall rate of low birth-weight infants increased for the first time since 2002, reaching the highest rate of the last 15 years |
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7.4.2 Asthma hospitalization rates by race/ethnicity and age, Boston neighborhood |
Asthma hospitalization rates in 2005 were six times higher for blacks than for whites, and nearly four times higher for Latinos than for whites with the highest neighborhood rates in Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, North Dorchester and Mattapan. |
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7.4.3 Hospitalization and mortality rates by race/ethnicity, Boston |
Year after year, Boston’s black community has higher overall mortality rates than other ethnic groups. In 2004, the last year for which data is available, the death rate for black Bostonians was more than double that for Asians and Latinos, and well above the mortality rate of whites. Black residents have significantly higher overall rates of hospitalization than Asians or whites, and the rate has grown 10% since 2000. |
| 7.5 Investment in Healthy Children and Adolescents |
7.5.1 Women receiving adequate prenatal care, Boston and Massachusetts |
In 2005, the last year for which data are available, 84% of Boston’s mothers received adequate prenatal care (rated either “Basic” or “Intensive” according to the Kotelchuck Index), a 16% increase since 1991. |
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7.5.2 Up-to-date vaccinations, Boston and Massachusetts vs. US |
Boston’s immunization rate for the 4:3:1 vaccine was 87% in 2004, the last year for which data are available. The vaccine covers diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and oral polio vaccine as well as measles, mumps and rubella. |
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7.5.3 Suicide rates among youth, Boston |
Suicide rates for Boston's youth declined considerably between 1991 and 2005, however, between 2003 and 2005 two of the measures—“suicide attempts” and “attempts that required medical attention”—rose slightly. |
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7.5.4 Youth who engage in risky behaviors, Boston |
In 2005 smoking among Boston’s adolescents increased for the first time since YRBSS tracking began in 1991. In 2005, a greater proportion of Boston's white youth reported using alcohol, cocaine and marajuana during the past 30 days than black or latino youth. While the percentage of Boston public school students who are sexually active increased slightly in 2005, the percentage reporting condom use increased at a greater rate. |
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7.5.5 Youth who report a strong relationship with a parent or adult mentor by gender, grade and years lived in the US, Boston |
According to the 2004 Boston Youth Survey conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, 75% of Boston's teens report a strong relationship with a parent or an adult mentor. However, levels of trust in others varies across gender, age and years lived in the US. |
| 7.6 Healthy Behavior |
7.6.1 Percentage of residents who engage in healthy behavior, Metro Boston and Massachusetts |
The percentage of Boston area residents reporting physical activity in leisure time increased modestly from 71% in 2000 to 76% in 2003. In 2005, fewer than one-fifth of Massachusetts’ population smoked. |
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7.6.2 Obesity by age, gender and racial/ethnic group, Boston |
In 2005, 52% of all Bostonians were overweight or obese. The rate is higher for blacks (66%) and Latinos (54%) in Boston. Excess weight is less common among Asians in Boston but has been increasing rapidly: from 18% in 1999 to 30% in 2005. |
| 7.7 Low Rates of Environmental Hazards |
7.7.1 Location of children and recreation areas vs. exposure to environmental hazards, Boston neighborhood |
Boston has made dramatic gains in reducing childhood lead levels. In 2006, the percentage of children under the age of 6 with elevated lead levels was 2%. |
| 7.8 Public Funding for Public Health |
7.8.1 Trends in City, State and Federal public health funding levels |
In FY07 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health budget reached its highest level since 2001, at $370 million. The portion of the Boston Public Health Commission’s budget provided by the City of Boston has remained relatively steady at $61 million. |
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