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Year 2000 health status indicators: a profile of California
J W Sutocky1, S Dumbauld, G B Abbott
1Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health Services, State of California, Sacramento 95814, USA. jsutocky@bw1.cahwnet.gov
Objectives:
To examine the health status of Californians using a set of 18 health status indicators (HSIs) corresponding to goals set forth in Healthy People 2000 and to develop a health status profile for use in research and surveillance, policy development program planning, and program evaluation.
Methods:
Federal, state, and county data were used to evaluate California's performance on 18 indicators of health status related to mortality, disease incidence, and health risks.
Results:
By 1994, California had achieved Year 2000 objectives associated with seven HSIs and significant declines in mortality associated with two other HSIs. Nationally, California was ranked among the states with the lowest rates for infant mortality, lung cancer, female breast cancer, and syphilis but among states with the highest rates for homicide, AIDS, measles, tuberculosis, late prenatal care, childhood poverty, and poor air quality.
Conclusions:
California's experience may provide a useful model for other state and local health agencies monitoring the health status of populations using HSIs associated with Year 2000 objectives.