State Health Rankings by Infant Mortality

*2011 values: http://www.americashealthrankings.org

Do Philosophical Exemptions Harm Public Health? No.

1 2 3 4 5 5 7 8 8 10 11 12 12 12 15

New Hampshire Vermont Utah Massachusetts California Washington New Jersey New York Oregon Iowa Minnesota Maine Nevada New Mexico Hawaii

2 22 47 5 40 39 45 41 27 17 24 36 49 44 29

No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No

Vermont is currently the Number One Healthiest State according to the United Health Foundation. The UHF grades the states every year on more than 20 criteria. In this summary of the Top 15 states for Infant Mortality rates it is notable that more than 50% of these Top states offer philosophical exemptions to vaccination. It is also notable that only 2 of this Top 15 Best Infant Mortality are in the Top 15 for vaccination rates, (next slide), and actually 8 of the Top 15 Infant Mortality states score 30 or lower in Immunization Rank . This illustrates that there are many factors that determine health outcomes, and vaccination status is only one of them. High vaccination rates do not guarantee health, and lower vaccination rates do not mean sickness.

State Health Rankings by Immunization Ranking

*2011 values: http://www.americashealthrankings.org

Vaccination Status is Not a Magic Bullet

Vaccination only one factor of many determining Health outcomes.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Connecticut New Hampshire Florida Rhode Island Massachusetts North Carolina North Dakota Tennessee Michigan Mississippi Alabama Nebraska Pennsylvania Georgia South Carolina

No No No No No No Yes No Yes No No No Yes No No

20 1 29 22 4 46 22 45 39 50 49 16 35 43 46

3 14 28 29 42 15 7 32 31 37 43 44 19 41 24

Only 2 of the Top 15 most vaccinated states are also in the Top 15 best infant mortality rates. 6 of the Top 15 most vaccinated states rank in the bottom 7 states for infant mortality, including the 50th rated Mississippi. Only 4 of the Top 15 most vaccinated states are also in the Top 15 best infectious disease rates. 10 of the Top 15 most vaccinated states rank in the bottom 30 for Infectious disease rank. High vaccination rates do not guarantee health, or the prevention of infection, and lower vaccination rates do not mean sickness.