 Mortality rates in Alabama by county (2000-2009) - the bluer the county the better or lower the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average – the redder the county the worse or higher the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average. Developed by Leo Denton with data from the Alabama Bureau of Vital Statistics. |
Uncertainty prevails when it comes to getting a handle on health in Alabama and on health along the gulf coast in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama. How many Gulf coast residents are suffering from illnesses? Why are dolphins dying in record numbers? Why is Alabama’s mortality rate so high? Who knows?
To get firmer answers, I decided last month to look at Alabama’s death statistics. I chose these numbers first because the numbers are serious; it matters a lot whether we’re alive or dead. Second, the statistic is unambiguous; it’s hard to spin the number of deaths even for the government or a big corporation. Third, the statistics are generally available. With help from Alabama’s Bureau of Vital Statistics, I have received annual county by county data on population and deaths throughout Alabama for 2000 to 2009 (unfortunately 2010 is not yet available). Using these numbers it possible to calculate the number of deaths per 10,000 people, a common benchmark for mortality rates. To put this mortality rate in perspective, in 2009 the world rate was 83.7 and the United States’ rate was 83.8 (see Wikipedia/CIA World Factbook). Alabama’s mortality rate is much worse. In 2009 Alabama’s rate was 101.4. Many rural areas in Alabama have mortality rates much worse than even the Alabama average. In a stark disparity, Covington County’s mortality rate (135.60) more than twice the mortality rate in Shelby County (61.04). To show these disparities graphically I developed the color coded map on the top left – the bluer the county the better or lower the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average – the redder the county the worse or higher the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average. Most counties are red because most Alabama counties have mortality rates worse than the Alabama average (the distribution is skewed). As a just and caring people, we need to bring these high mortality rates to the forefront. This post is just the beginning of our look at these mortality numbers.
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Volunteer opportunity in Mobile: Join the volunteers who are helping to build a quarter mile of oyster reef at Helen Wood Park, just north of Dog River, on March 19, 8:00 to noon! Come if you can!
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Is information about the cause of death available?
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Yes, the Alabama Bureau of Vital Statistics has information for the cause of death. However, I have not gone to that level of detail yet recently and I’m not sure how easily available it is. I’m also interested seeing statistics by zip code instead of just by county. Back in the 1990′s, I looked up a lot of interesting information at the Bureau of Vital Statistics at their Montgomery office. Information on Alabama’s health is also available at the Alabama Public Health Department too. The Center for Disease Control and U.S. Census Bureau are also good sources for information.
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