America's Health: How do states compare?

A report called "America’s Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?" is getting quite a lot of play in the consumer press. The study was issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and can be found here. A few of the study's finding relate to the effect of income on health. Here is an excerpt from the "key findings" subsection:


Nationally, and in every state, the percent of children with less than optimal health varied with family income. Compared with higher-income children (in families with incomes at or above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level), children in poor families (below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level) were more likely—over six times as likely, in some states—to be in less than optimal health. Differences were not confined to comparisons between the top and bottom groups. With few exceptions, children in middle-income families (200-399% of the Federal Poverty Level) also appear more likely—over twice as likely, in some states—than children in higher-income families to be in less than optimal health.