2025 Health of Women & Children — Composite Performance Landscape
86,216 DATA POINTS · 1,650 MEASURES · 50 STATES
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How to read composite scores: Each state's score combines hundreds of health measures into a single number centered at 0.000 (the national average). A positive score means a state performs better than average; a negative score means worse than average. The scale typically ranges from about −1.0 to +1.0 — so a score of −0.33 means a state performs roughly one-third of a standard deviation below the national average across all measures.
+0.4 or higher = Significantly better than average+0.1 to +0.4 = Somewhat better than average−0.1 to +0.1 = Near national average−0.1 to −0.4 = Somewhat below average−0.4 or lower = Significantly below average
Report Scope
1,650
Health measures analyzed
34 data sources
#1 Ranked State
MA
Massachusetts
Score: +0.766
National Average
0.000
Midpoint of the scale
All states centered here
Best–Worst Gap
1.63
Score points apart
MA (+0.77) vs LA (−0.87)
South Region Avg
−0.33
One-third below avg
Lowest of 4 regions
Regional Performance — Composite Score
4 REGIONS
Bars above 0 = better than national average · Bars below 0 = worse than average
Score Distribution — All 50 States (Best → Worst)
RANKED
Green bars = above national avg · Orange/Red bars = below · Louisiana highlighted in amber
State Performance Map
Dark green = Top ranked · Dark red = Bottom ranked · Hover for details
States are ordered left-to-right by rank (#1 best to #50 worst). Color intensity reflects how far above or below the national average each state falls.
Best & Worst Performing States
TOP 10
BOTTOM 10
State Rankings Explorer
Compare states across all health domains
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How domain scores work: Each domain (e.g., Clinical Care, Behaviors) has its own composite score on the same 0-centered scale. A state can rank very differently across domains — for example, Louisiana ranks #1 in Clinical Care access for well-woman visits but #49 in Social & Economic factors. Use the radar chart to see a state's full profile at a glance.
Longer bar to the right = better performanceLonger bar to the left = worse performanceLouisiana is always highlighted in amber
Domain:Region:
State Rankings — Overall
Domain Radar — Compare Two States
Each axis = one health domain. A larger shaded area = stronger overall profile. Points farther from center = better performance in that domain.
Key Health Indicators
Raw metric values across 17 critical measures — all 50 states
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Reading this tab: Unlike composite scores, these are real-world measurements — actual rates and percentages. For example, infant mortality of 7.3 means 7.3 babies die per 1,000 live births. The dashed line on each chart shows the national average. Louisiana is highlighted in amber. For most indicators, lower = better (e.g., lower mortality, lower poverty rate). For Well-Woman Visits and Breastfeeding, higher = better.
Select Indicator:
Infant Mortality — All States
National Statistics
"LA vs Avg" shows how Louisiana compares to the national mean. A negative number for mortality indicators means Louisiana is doing worse than average (more deaths per 100,000).
Best Performing States
Worst Performing States
Health Equity Analysis
Racial & demographic disparities across key measures
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What equity analysis shows: These charts display the same health measure broken down by race. When bars for different racial groups differ significantly, that gap represents a health equity disparity — meaning health outcomes are unequal even within the same state. In Louisiana's case, Black children experience poverty at 42% vs. 14.5% for White children. The amber bars show Louisiana's values; colored bars show national averages by race. Larger differences = larger equity gaps.
Infant Mortality by Race — National Averages
per 1,000 births
Black infant mortality is more than double the White rate nationally — one of the starkest health equity gaps in the U.S.
Children in Poverty by Race
%
Poverty is the most powerful predictor of poor health outcomes. These disparities drive much of Louisiana's overall ranking gap.
Black vs. White Infant Mortality Gap — Select States
The gap between Black and White infant mortality varies widely by state. Even "high-performing" states like MN and WI show large racial disparities.
Teen Births by Race — National Rates
Teen birth rates per 1,000 women age 15–19. Lower rates reflect better access to education, contraception, and economic opportunity.
Equity Summary Table — Louisiana vs. National Average by Race
A positive number in "LA vs National" for mortality/poverty indicators means Louisiana is doing worse than the national average for that racial group. A negative number means better than average.
Louisiana's paradox explained: Louisiana's overall score of −0.868 places it last among all 50 states — meaning its combined performance across all health measures is nearly a full standard deviation below the national average. However, this masks a critical nuance: Louisiana ranks #1 in clinical access (well-woman visits) and #23 in overall clinical care. The state's low ranking is driven almost entirely by social and economic conditions — poverty, food insecurity, and housing — that fall outside the healthcare system's direct control.
−0.868 overall = last in the nation+0.289 clinical care = above average−1.044 social/economic = near bottom
⚠ #50 Overall⚠ #50 Child Health⚠ #49 Children in Poverty (25%)⚠ #49 Low Birth Weight (11.3%)△ #48 Infant Mortality (7.3/1k)△ #46 Maternal Mortality (40.7/100k)✓ #1 Well-Woman Visit (80.3%)✓ #5 Cervical Cancer Screening✓ #23 Clinical Care Overall
Domain Profile — Louisiana vs. National Average vs. Best State (MA)
Each axis = one domain score. Louisiana's shape (amber) vs. the national average (blue dashed) shows where it falls behind. The closer Louisiana's line is to the outer edge, the better its performance in that domain.
Domain Gap Analysis — How Far from Average?
Standard deviations from mean
These bars show how many "standard deviations" Louisiana is from the national average in each domain. Think of it as a gap measure: a score of −2.35 means Louisiana is extremely far below average — in the bottom 1–2% of all states for that domain.
Z < −2.0 = Statistically extreme — far worse than nearly all states |
−1.0 to −2.0 = Significant gap |
Z > 0 = At or above national average
Critical Gaps — Worst Rankings
Areas where Louisiana needs urgent attention. Rank shown out of 50 states — lower rank = worse performance.
Relative Strengths — Best Rankings
Areas where Louisiana performs well despite its overall ranking — important foundations to build on.
Louisiana vs. Southern States — Overall Composite Score
Even within the South — the lowest-performing region — Louisiana ranks last. Maryland (+0.462) shows that Southern states can achieve strong performance with the right investments.
Strategic Priority Matrix
Four-quadrant framework — Where to maintain, leverage, monitor, and intervene
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How to use this matrix: The four quadrants organize Louisiana's health indicators by performance level and urgency of action needed.
Maintain Excellence = already strong, protect these gains.
Leverage for Improvement = moderate performance, use existing strengths to improve.
Monitor Closely = near average but at risk of slipping.
Priority Intervention = worst gaps, most urgent need for policy action. The Z-score column shows how extreme the gap is — a Z of +2.31 means Louisiana's rate is more than 2 standard deviations worse than the national average, placing it in the bottom 1–2% of all states.
All States — Composite Score vs. Rank (Scatter)
Each dot = one state. Louisiana (★ amber star) appears in the bottom-left corner, confirming its position as both the lowest-scored and lowest-ranked state. The tight cluster shows most states perform near the national average.
Louisiana Strategic Quadrant Assessment
✓ Maintain Excellence
High Performance · At or Above Benchmark
Well-Woman Visit (#1, 80.3%)
Cervical Cancer Screening (#5)
Clinical Care — Children (#23)
Teen Suicide Rate (#17)
→ Leverage for Improvement
Moderate Performance · Gap Narrowing
Uninsured Women (#24, 8.6%)
Uninsured Children (#24, 4.3%)
Clinical Care — Women (#31)
Depression Screening (#36)
◎ Monitor Closely
Near Benchmark · Potential Volatility
Adequate Prenatal Care (#34)
High Health Status Women (#35)
Smoking — Women (#36)
High Health Status Children (#41)
⚠ Priority Intervention
Low Performance · Widest Gaps
Children in Poverty (#49, 25.0%)
Low Birth Weight (#49, 11.3%)
Child Mortality (#49, 48.9/100k)
Infant Mortality (#48, 7.3/1k)
Maternal Mortality (#46, 40.7/100k)
Drug Deaths — Women (#46)
Food Insecurity (#47, 16.2%)
Teen Births (#48, 23.1)
Evidence-Based Priority Recommendations
Z-Score = number of standard deviations from the national mean. A Z of +2.24 SD means Louisiana is worse than approximately 98% of all states on that measure — indicating an extreme, urgent gap requiring targeted intervention.