Improve the health of Washingtonians

Indicator 1: Improved health.

1a: Rate of Tobacco Use Among Adults

Description: This indicator is based on self-reported tobacco use on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The measure represents the percent of BRFSS respondents who answer "No" to "Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?" or "Not at all" to "Do you now smoke cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all?" The BRFSS is conducted annually by the Washington State Department of Health in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control to gather data on factors affecting the health of Washington residents. The BRFSS was offered in Spanish for the first time in 2003.

Sources:
Department of Health
U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Percent of Adults Using Tobacco
 19881990199219941996199820002001200220032004
Rate24.9%23.0%21.9%22.7%23.4%21.3%20.7%22.5%21.5%19.5%19.2%

1b: Obesity Among Adults

Description: This indicator is based on a calculation of body mass index (BMI) from height and weight data collected on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The BRFSS is conducted annually by the Washington State Department of Health in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control to gather data on factors affecting the health of Washington residents. The BRFSS was offered in Spanish for the first time in 2003.

Sources:
Department of Health
U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Rate of Obesity in Adults
 1990199219941996199820002001200220032004
Rate9.4%10.6%13.9%15.6%18.1%18.8%19.3%21.3%21.7%22.2%

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Indicator 2: Improved life expectancy.

2a: Average Years of Healthy Life Remaining at 20

Description: This indicator is calculated by adjusting life expectancy derived from death certificate data with health status measured by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) question "Would you say your health in general is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?" The method used is described in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics (CDC-NCHS) Statistical Notes, Number 21, August 2001. The method is slightly modified, because the measure of health status is available only for people age 18 and older. Thus, we calculate years of healthy life (referred to as "healthy life expectancy" in the CDC-NCHS report) as the number of additional years a 20-year-old is expected to live in good, very good or excellent health plus 20 years.

Sources:
Department of Health
U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Average Years of Healthy Life Remaining at 20
 199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004
Years50.750.550.750.651.551.250.751.050.650.250.151.0

2b: Infant Mortality Rate
(Rate per 1,000 Live Births)

Description: This indicator is calculated as the number of deaths of children younger than 1 year old calculated per 1,000 live births in the same calendar year.

Source:
Department of Health

Infant Mortality Rate
 19901992199419961998200020022004
Rate per 1,000 Live Births 7.8 6.8 6.2 6.0 5.7 5.2 5.7 5.5

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Indicator 3: Improved access to health care.

3a: Health Insurance Coverage by Age Group

By Age

Description: This indicator is calculated from the Washington State Population Survey (SPS), the biennial household survey conducted by the Office of Financial Management (OFM). The overall health insurance status is determined from nine questions regarding specific types of health insurance coverage including employer and union sponsored coverage, Medicaid, Medicare, military, and Basic Health Program coverage.

Source:
Office of Financial Management
   The Uninsured Population in Washington State (pdf)

Insurance Coverage by Age
 Insured Children
Ages 0-18		Insured Adults
Ages 19-64		Insured Seniors
Ages 65 & Older
200094.5%90.0%99.7%
200295.5%88.2%99.6%
200494.1%86.7%99.6%
200695.6%87.1%99.5%

3b: Unmet Healthcare Need


Percent of Households With Unmet Healthcare Need
200116.3%
200318.6%
 Description: Unmet health care need is measured as the percent of households in which people report being unable to obtain health care or experience difficulty or delay in obtaining health care. Households are counted as being unable to obtain health care or experiencing difficulties or delays if a BRFSS respondent answers "Yes" to any of the following questions:
  • In the last 12 months, were you or any adult in your household unable to obtain any type of health care you or they thought was needed?
  • In the last 12 months, did you or any adult in your household experience difficulty or delay in obtaining any type of health care you or they thought was needed?
  • In the last 12 months, were any children living in your home unable to obtain any type of health care you thought they needed?
  • In the last 12 months, did any children living in your home experience difficulty or delay in obtaining any type of health care you thought they needed?

Source:
Department of Health

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Last modified: August 11, 2006
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