Health report: Some Southeast Mo. counties rank with undeveloped world

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new report says Missouri has seen a steady decline in the health of its residents, and people born in some Bootheel counties have a shorter life expectancy than in some undeveloped countries.

The report by the Missouri Hospital Association notes that the state fell from 24th in 1990 to 42nd last year in health rankings produced by the United Health Foundation.

The hospital association says average life expectancies in St. Louis and parts of Southeast Missouri now are lower than in some parts of the world that are considered less developed, such as Vietnam, Honduras and Venezuela.

Among the lowest life expectancies was the Bootheel's Pemiscot County, where the average person born is expected to live 71.3 years. The impoverished county would have the 85th lowest life expectancy in the world if it was a country, just below El Salvador's 71.4 years.

The hospital association said 11 Southeast Missouri counties have life expectancies less than 74 years, meaning people in those counties can expect to live two years less than people in Vietnam of Venezuela, and a year less than Hondurans and Lebanese.

Cape Girardeau County's average life expectancy of 78.1 years is above the statewide average of 77.1 years. Life expectancies for other local counties are 76.5 years in Bollinger County; 78.1 in Perry; 75.4 in Scott and 75.9 in Stoddard.

The hospital organization says improved access to insurance could help address the state's poor health status. A separate report from the U.S. Census Bureau says 16 percent of Missourians under age 65 were uninsured in 2011.

The hospital group has been pushing for Missouri to expand Medicaid eligibility.