North Carolina Ranks #41 In Children’s Health Care, Find Out Why
(WFMY, Teyah Glenn) — When moving with kids, there’s a lot to think about—from school district rankings to the proximity of the nearest hospital or pediatrician.
On the health front, a recent study by WalletHub reveals that North Carolina ranks behind 39 other states (plus Washington, D.C.) when it comes to children’s health care.
North Carolina ranks #41
“The quality of children’s health care should be a top priority for parents when choosing where to live,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Early access to quality pediatric and dental care, nutritious food, and safe spaces for recreation can significantly improve a child’s chances of growing up healthy and developing lifelong positive habits.”
WalletHub’s study evaluated each state using key indicators to determine the best and worst for children’s health care. These included:
- Overall health and access to care
- Nutrition, physical activity, and obesity rates
- Oral health
Massachusetts took the top spot for child health care, ranking #2 in health and access, #1 in nutrition and activity, and #20 in oral health. Also earning top marks were Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
North Carolina, however, ranked near the bottom at #41 overall. Contributing to its low score were below-average rankings across all three categories:
- #35 for health and access
- #35 for nutrition, activity, and obesity
- #41 for oral health
The study also broke down state rankings in more specific health-related categories, such as infant mortality rates and the percentage of uninsured children. North Carolina showed up in one of these bottom-tier lists, ranking among the five worst states for the percentage of children with “excellent or very good” teeth.
In this category, North Carolina placed 47th nationwide—surpassed only by Missouri, Nevada, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.