Measures Of Childrens Health Policy Measures Of Childrens Health | 2016 Health Of Women And Children Report

Executive Summary Introduction Explore the Health of Women, Children and Infants Findings The Health of Women and Children between States The Health of Women and Children within States Healthy Communities for Children Clinical Preventive Services for Children Racial Disparities in Measures of Mortality Variations in Smoking Measures of Women's Health Behaviors | Measures of Women’s Health Community & Environment | Measures of Women’s Health Policy | Measures of Women’s Health Clinical Care | Measures of Women’s Health Outcomes | Measures of Women’s Health Measures of Infants' Health Behaviors | Measures of Infants’ Health Community & Environment | Measures of Infants’ Health Policy | Measures of Infants’ Health Clinical Care | Measures of Infants’ Health Outcomes | Measures of Infants’ Health Measures of Children's Health Behaviors | Measures of Children’s Health Community & Environment | Measures of Children’s Health Policy | Measures of Children’s Health Clinical Care | Measures of Children’s Health Outcomes | Measures of Children’s HealthState Summaries

Alabama

United StatesAppendixData Sources and Measures of Women’s Health Data Sources and Measures of Infants’ Health Data Sources and Measures of Children’s Health Methodology Model Development America’s Health Rankings® Health of Women and Children Steering Group The Team

2016 Health of Women and Children Report 2016 Health of Women and Children - Chart Pack 2016 Health of Women and Children - Executive Summary

Adequate Health Insurance 
The ability of insurance to adequately cover needed services, providers, and costs is an important measure of health insurance coverage. While most children have health insurance, many may be underinsured. Among children with continuous coverage, those with private insurance are more likely to report that their coverage is inadequate compared to those with public insurance. Underinsured children are significantly more likely to have delayed or forgone care and to have difficulty obtaining needed specialist care. Older children, Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children, those with special health care needs, and those who are not in very good or excellent health are also more likely to be underinsured. 

Percentage of insured children aged 0 to 17 whose parents report their health plan has reasonable out-of-pocket costs, offers benefits or covered services that meet their child’s needs, and allows them to see needed health care providers
 Data source: National Survey of Children’s Health, 2011–2012 For details: www.americashealthrankings.org/ALL/ adequate_insurance

Children with Health Insurance 
There is vast evidence documenting the benefits of health insurance coverage — whether it be public or private — for improving children’s access to care, improving quality of care, improving health outcomes, increasing use of preventive services, and reducing racial and ethnic disparities. Children without insurance tend to have greater severity of illness; higher rates of chronic illness (eg, asthma, diabetes), vaccine-preventable disease, and hospital admissions; higher mortality rates; and greater medical costs, compared to children with coverage. Despite great effort in recent years to reduce the number of children without health insurance, some children remain uninsured. 

Percentage of children aged 0 to 17 with health insurance of any type
 Data source: National Survey of Children’s Health, 2011–2012 For details: www.americashealthrankings.org/ ALL/child_insurance

Homeless Family Households 
While homelessness is difficult to accurately estimate, approximately 600,000 families with 1.35 million children experience homelessness each year. Homeless families are more likely to be female-headed, be members of a racial minority group, and have low educational attainment. Twentynine percent of homeless families have a member that is employed, yet the family is still displaced. Homeless children are more likely to witness violent events and experience more acute and chronic health problems. The primary cause of family homelessness is lack of affordable housing. Intimate partner violence is a common cause of homelessness for single women and their children. 

Number of families sleeping outside, in an emergency shelter, or in a transitional housing program per 10,000 family households
 Data source: The State of Homelessness in America 2016, 2015 data For details: www.americashealthrankings.org/ALL/ homeless_families

Water Flouridation 
Community water fluoridation is an effective way of preventing dental caries — an infectious disease in which bacteria dissolve the enamel of a tooth. Dental caries can lead to pain, bacterial infections, and tooth extraction. Fluoride enhances remineralization and inhibits demineralization in tooth enamel and inhibits bacterial activity in dental plaque. Community water fluoridation is a safe and cost effective intervention to widely deliver fluoride to all members of a community, regardless of age, education, and income. It was named one of ten great public health achievements of the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Percentage of population served by community water systems who receive fluoridated water
 Data source: Water Fluoridation Reporting System, 2014 For details: www.americashealthrankings.org/ ALL/water_fluoridation