Indiana

Please be sure to read the data notes & limitations page. This explains many aspects of these comments, including how only changes over time can be discussed as statistically significant, and why the comparisons with national rates discuss data for selected subgroups.

Overview of Findings

Findings for Indiana were limited to a few objectives and were generally encouraging. Rates of overall mortality for younger and older adolescents decreased, as did mortality due to motor vehicle crash mortality and homicide. Suicide rates remained flat and the overall mortality rate for young adults increased.

Comparison with national rates was mixed. Indiana compared favorably to national rates of safety belt use, riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol, physical fighting, as well as mortality due to motor vehicle crashes, homicide, and suicide. Indiana had comparable rates of weapon carrying and young adult mortality. However, the state compared unfavorably to national rates of overall mortality for younger and older adolescents, suicide attempts requiring medical attention, and tobacco, as well as all reproductive health objectives.

Highlights of Findings by Objective

Jump To: Mortality; Unintentional Injury; Violence; Substance Use and Mental Health; Reproductive Health; Chronic Disease Prevention

Mortality

Rates of overall mortality in Indiana decreased slightly among younger and older adolescents, but increased slightly among young adults. Rates decreased substantially among Black young adult and older adult males. The rate for Blacks remained much higher than rates for Whites in 2007, although this gap has narrowed from baseline. Hispanic young adults had lowest rates for that age group. Male older adolescents and young adults had two to three times the mortality rate of females in Indiana.

Comparison with national data. As in Indiana, national mortality rates decreased for younger and older adolescents, and increased among young adults. Also similar to Indiana, rates among Black young adult males decreased nationally, although to a much lesser extent compared to Indiana. In 2007, overall mortality in Indiana was slightly higher than national rates for younger and older adolescents; the young adult rate roughly matched the national rate. Indiana rates among Blacks were much higher than national rates for that group. As in Indiana, males had higher rates than females and Blacks had higher rates than Whites. In contrast to Indiana, Hispanic young adults had a slightly higher rate than Whites in that age group.

Unintentional Injury

(motor vehicle crashes, safety belt use, riding with a driver who has been drinking alcohol)

Please note the data for safety belt use are presented as “not wearing safety belt,” the inverse of the objective. This text describes safety belt use.

Adolescent mortality in Indiana due to motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) decreased slightly from baseline overall; rates decreased among females and were flat among males. In 2007, the rate for MVC mortality among males was about three times that of females in Indiana.

Comparison with national data. Overall MVC mortality was essentially flat from baseline nationally, in contrast to a decrease in Indiana. In 2007, the state MVC mortality rate was lower than the national rate, overall and young adults. As in Indiana, males had higher rates than females nationally.

Females in Indiana had a slightly higher rate of safety belt use than males in 2009. Whites had the highest rate, followed by Blacks and then Hispanics; differences among these groups were very small.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of safety belt use in Indiana was slightly higher than the national rate in 2009.  As in Indiana, the national rate for females was higher than the rate for males. Nationally, Hispanics had the highest rate, followed by Whites and then Blacks; although this pattern differed from the pattern in Indiana, group differences were very small.

In 2009, reported rates of riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol were slightly higher among females than males. Blacks had the highest rate, followed by Whites and then Hispanics; differences among these groups were fairly small.

Comparison with national data. Reported rates of riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol in Indiana were lower than the national rate, overall and across all subgroups; the rate for Hispanics in Indiana was much lower than the national rate for that group. Nationally, males and females had matching rates, in contrast to higher rates for females in Indiana. Also unlike Indiana, Hispanics had the highest rate, followed by Blacks and then Whites; group differences were larger nationally than in Indiana.

Violence

(homicide, physical fighting, weapon carrying)

The overall rate of homicide declined among older adolescents overall and among males from baseline. Rates for other groups were based on fewer than 20 deaths, thus unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. The national homicide among older adolescents was flat from baseline, overall and for males, in contrast to notable declines in Indiana; in 2007, Indiana homicide rates were somewhat lower than national rates for these groups.

Indiana males engaged in physical fighting at higher rates than females in 2009. Blacks reported the highest rate, followed closely by Hispanics; Whites had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. The 2009 rate of physical fighting in Indiana was slightly lower than the national rate. National gender and race/ethnicity patterns matched those noted in Indiana; the difference between Blacks and Hispanics was slightly larger nationally compared to Indiana.

Males in Indiana were four times as likely as females to report weapon carrying in 2009. Whites had the highest rate, followed by Hispanics and then Blacks; the Hispanic-Black difference was small.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of weapon carrying in 2009 in Indiana roughly matched the national rate. National gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched patterns noted for Indiana; national racial/ethnic differences were even smaller than in Indiana.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

(binge drinking, marijuana use, suicide, suicide attempts requiring medical attention)

Rates of binge drinking in Indiana were slightly higher among males than females. Whites had by far the highest rate, followed by Hispanics and then Blacks who had fairly similar rates.

Comparison with national data. National gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched patterns noted for Indiana.

Rates of marijuana use in Indiana were slightly higher among males than females. Blacks and Whites had roughly matching rates, the highest among racial/ethnic groups; Hispanics had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. National gender and racial/ethnic patterns mostly matched the patterns noted for Indiana; one exception is that Whites had a slightly higher rate than Blacks nationally.

The overall rate of suicide among older adolescents was flat from baseline, both overall and for males. Rates for other groups were based on fewer than 20 deaths, thus unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. Nationally, the rate for older adolescents was also flat from baseline, overall and for males; in 2007, the Indiana rates were slightly lower than national rates for these age groups.

The rate of adolescent suicide attempts requiring medical attention in Indiana was higher among females than males in 2009. Whites and Hispanics had matching rates.

Comparison with national data. In 2009, the Indiana rate of suicide attempts requiring medical attention was higher than the national rate. As in Indiana, females had a higher rate than males nationally. However, Hispanics had a higher rate than Whites, in contrast to similar rates in Indiana.

Reproductive Health

(sexual inexperience, no current sexual activity, condom use)

Please note, for the first two objectives, the text and tables present findings about adolescents who are sexually experienced and currently sexually active, the inverse of the actual objective. For the third objective, the table presents findings for lack of condom use, the inverse of the objective. The text describes condom use. (See Data Notes & Limitations).

In 2009, the overall rate of adolescents having engaged in sexual intercourse was higher for females than males, and Hispanics had a higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. In 2009, the overall rate of sexual experience among Indiana adolescents was slightly higher than the national rate; rates were also higher for females and Whites. Males and females had matching rates nationally, in contrast to higher rates for females in Indiana. As in Indiana, Hispanics had a higher rate than Whites nationally.

Rates of sexually experienced adolescents in Indiana reporting current sexual activity were much higher among females than males in 2009. Hispanics had the highest rate, followed by Blacks and then Whites; group differences were fairly small.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of adolescents reporting current sexual activity in Indiana was slightly higher than the national rate; the rate for Blacks in Indiana was much lower than nationally. As in Indiana, females had a higher rate than males, with this gap somewhat smaller nationally than in Indiana. In contrast to Indiana, Blacks had by far the highest rate nationally, followed by Hispanics and then Whites.

In 2009, rates of adolescent condom use in Indiana was much higher among males than females.

Comparison with national data. In 2009, the Indiana rate of condom use was slightly lower than the national rate. As in Indiana, males reported higher rates than females nationally.

Chronic Disease Prevention

(tobacco use)

In 2009, tobacco use in Indiana was higher among males than females. Whites had the highest rate, followed by Hispanics. Blacks had by far the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. The 2009 Indiana rate for tobacco use was slightly higher than the national rate; Hispanics in Indiana had a much higher rate. National gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched patterns noted for Indiana.

Additional data may be available at: http://www.in.gov/isdh/22221.htm