By Sydney Hoover
KU Statehouse Wire Service
TOPEKA -- Kansas ranks below average in overall health and has continued to decline in recent years, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman said.
America's Health Rankings places the state 29th in the country in overall health, Norman said in a Feb. 3 presentation to the House Children and Seniors Committee, with low points in vaccinations and sexually transmitted disease. Last year, the state ranked 27th.
“That downward slide you saw in America’s Health Rankings I think represents a passive approach to health, and to actively change the course of that graph, it would take very active processes,” Norman said.
Kansas ranked particularly low in immunizations, at 49th for HPV immunization in girls, 34th for boys and 46th for meningococcal vaccinations. Norman said only 69% of children between 19 and 35 months complete recommended vaccinations for their age.
Rep. Randy Garber, R-Sabetha, asked whether there were any studies looking into the safety of immunizations, saying more doctors are questioning some vaccines.
“If I’m going to give my child an immunization, I want to make sure it’s safe,” Garber said. “And I’m not convinced that they are.”
Norman said safety of vaccinations is looked at before efficacy or other factors. He said with the flu vaccine, for instance, the state hasn’t seen any flu-related deaths in people who have received the vaccine.
He also noted the fear that vaccines contribute to autism has been “absolutely discredited.”
“People that don’t get vaccinated don’t because of the fear of the vaccine,” Norman said. “People who do get vaccinated do because of fear of the illness. I think one thing we can all agree on is we’re afraid.”
Kansas also saw a spike in gonorrhea cases since 2008, as well as an increase in chlamydia and syphilis cases. Norman said more open discussions regarding sexual education could help relieve this increase, among other recommendations.
The state also ranked 30th in tobacco use, likely exacerbated by e-cigarette use, and 38th in obesity.
Sydney Hoover is a University of Kansas junior from Lenexa majoring in journalism and Spanish.
Reach her at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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