A snapshot of the health and well-being of Florida’s children is provided in the National Survey of Children’s Health released recently by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The third in a series of surveys, the report provides state and national information on children’s physical, mental, and developmental health status; access to health care; activities at school, outside of school, and at home; and their safety and security in their neighborhoods and at school based on parent and caregiver response.
A number of indicators are related to Florida MIECHV benchmarks. Among the findings:
- 83.5% of Florida’s children are in excellent or very good health, compared to 84.2% nationally.
- 68.9% have excellent or very good oral health, compared to 71.3% nationally.
- 80.0% of children aged 0-5 were breastfed, compared to 79.2% nationally.
- 27.8% of children aged 4 months to 5 years are at moderate or high risk of developmental or behavioral problems, compared to 26.2% nationally.
- 17.6% lack continuous health insurance coverage, compared to 11.3% nationally.
- 24% of children aged 10 months to 5 years have been screened for developmental or behavioral problems, compared to 30.8% nationally.
- 50.4% receive health care within a medical home, compared to 54.4% nationally.
- 42.6% of children 0-5 are read to everyday, compared to 47.9% nationally.
- 54.8% of mothers and 61.7% of fathers living with their children have excellent or very good physical or emotional health, compared to 56.7% and 62% nationally.
- 51.7% had 1 or more adverse childhood experiences in their lifetimes, compared to 47.9% nationally.
- 76.2% of children in Florida live in neighborhoods that are supportive, compared to 82.1% nationally.
The NSCH surveyed the parents of a total of 95,677 children in 2011-12, or approximately 2,000 per State. Of the children included in the sample, 32.7 percent were aged 0-5 years. See Florida’s summary profile here.