Missouri

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 Missouri were mostly positive. Encouraging changes include a substantial increase in safety belt use and large decrease rates of riding with a driver who had been drinking. Other positive changes include decreases overall mortality for younger and older adolescents, suicide, and weapon carrying. However, overall mortality increased among young adults. Rates remained flat for motor vehicle crash mortality, physical fighting, binge drinking, marijuana use, suicide attempts requiring medical attention, sexual experience, current sexual activity, and condom use.

For most objectives, final rates in Missouri were fairly similar to national rates, including overall mortality for younger adolescents, physical fighting, weapon carrying, suicide, suicide attempts requiring medical attention, sexual experience, current sexual activity, and condom use. Missouri compared favorably to the nation in its rate of riding with a driver who had been drinking. The state compared unfavorably to national rates of overall mortality among older adolescents and young adults, motor vehicle mortality and safety belt use.

Highlights of Findings by Objective

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

Mortality

The rate of overall mortality in Missouri decreased among younger and older adolescents, but increased among young adults, with an especially large increase among Blacks in that age group. In 2007, males had higher mortality rates than females; this gender gap was two to threefold among older adolescents and young adults. Blacks had substantially higher rates than Whites among older adolescents and young adults.

Comparison with national data. As in Missouri, national mortality rates decreased for younger and older adolescents, and increased among young adults. The national rate among Black young adults decreased, in contrast to a large increase for this group in Missouri. In 2007, mortality rates for older adolescents and young adults in Missouri were higher than the national rates for these groups, with an especially large difference for Blacks in Missouri compared to the nation. The Missouri mortality rate for younger adolescents roughly matched the national rate for that group. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for Missouri overall. The difference between Black and White mortality rates was much larger in Missouri than nationally.

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 Missouri due to motor vehicle crashes was essentially flat from baseline overall, with some variation among subgroups. Rates increased among Blacks and decreased slightly among Whites. In 2007, males had twice the motor vehicle mortality of females. Whites had a higher rate than Blacks.

Comparison with national data. National motor vehicle crash mortality was also flat from baseline. A small decrease in the national rate for Blacks contrasts with an increase for that group in Missouri. In 2007, the motor vehicle crash mortality rate in Missouri was higher than the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

Rates of safety belt use in Missouri increased significantly from baseline overall and among subgroups. In 2009, females had higher rates of safety belt use than males, and Whites had a much higher rate than Blacks.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of safety belt use also decreased from baseline. In 2009, the Missouri rate remained lower than the national rate, although the state-national gap narrowed considerably from baseline. The Missouri rate among Blacks was much higher than the national rate for that group. The national gender and race/ethnicity patterns roughly matched patterns noted for Missouri.

The rate of adolescents in Missouri who reported riding with a driver who had been drinking decreased significantly from baseline overall and for Whites; however there was not a significant change among Blacks. In 2009, the rate among males was similar to the rate for females; the rates among Blacks and Whites were also very close.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of riding with a driver who had been drinking also declined nationally, though to a lesser extent than in Missouri. As in Missouri, there was also a significant decrease among Whites but not Blacks. In 2009, the rate in Missouri was slightly lower than the national rate. As in Missouri, females and males had matching rates. Blacks had a slightly higher rate than Whites, similar to the small difference noted for Missouri.

Violence

(homicide, physical fighting, weapon carrying)

The homicide rate for older adolescents in Missouri was essentially flat from baseline overall, with a decrease among Black males in that age group. Rates for most groups were based on fewer than 20 deaths, and thus were unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. As in Missouri, the national homicide rate was flat from baseline overall. However, a small increase among Black males nationally contrasts with a decrease for the group in Missouri. In 2007, the Missouri homicide rate roughly matched the national rate; however, the rate for Black males in Missouri was substantially higher than the national rate for this group.

The rate of physical fighting in Missouri was flat from baseline. In 2009, males had a much higher rate than females, and Blacks had a substantially higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of physical fighting decreased slightly from baseline, in contrast to no change in Missouri. In 2009, the Missouri rate was slightly lower than the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

The overall rate of weapon carrying among adolescents in Missouri decreased from baseline; large decreases occurred among Black females and Whites males. In 2009, males had more than four times the rate of females, and Whites had a slightly higher rate than Blacks.

Comparison with national data. The rate of weapon carrying nationally was flat from baseline compared to as decrease in Missouri. In 2009, the Missouri rate roughly matched the national rate.  The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns were similar to the patterns noted for Missouri.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

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

Rates of binge drinking in Missouri did not change significantly from baseline overall; significant and sizable decreases occurred among males overall and among White males and females. In 2009, males had a slightly higher rate than females; the rate for Whites remained higher than the rate for Blacks, although this gap narrowed from baseline.

Comparison with national data. National rates of binge drinking among adolescents changed little from baseline, as in Missouri. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns mostly matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

Rates of marijuana use in Missouri did not change significantly from baseline. In 2009, males had a higher rate than females, and Blacks had a higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. National rates of marijuana use declined slightly from baseline, similar to the relatively flat rate in Missouri. As in Missouri, males had a higher rate than females nationally. Whites had very slightly higher rates than Blacks nationally, compared to much higher rates among Blacks in Missouri.

Suicide rates decreased for older adolescents in Missouri, both overall and among Whites. Rates for other groups were based on fewer than 20 deaths and thus were unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. The national suicide rate changed little from baseline, compared to a decrease in Missouri. In 2007, the suicide rate in Missouri was slightly higher than the national rate.

The rate of adolescent suicide attempts in Missouri requiring medical attention was flat from baseline. In 2009, females had a higher rate than males, and Blacks had a higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of suicide attempts requiring medical attention decreased from baseline, compared to no change in Missouri. In 2009, the Missouri rate was slightly higher than the national rate.  The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

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).

Rates of adolescents having engaged in sexual intercourse was flat from baseline. In 2009, males and females had similar rates. Blacks had a much higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of being sexually experienced was also flat from baseline. The Missouri rate was just slightly higher than the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

The rates of sexually experienced adolescents in Missouri reporting current sexual activity did not change significantly from baseline. In 2009, males and females had roughly matching rates; Blacks had a higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of currently sexually active adolescents was also flat from baseline. In 2009, the overall rate for Missouri roughly matched the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns roughly matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

The rate of condom use in Missouri was flat from baseline. In 2009, males had a higher rate than females; Blacks had a higher rate than Whites.

Comparison with national data. The national rate of condom use was also flat from baseline. In 2009, the Missouri rate of condom use roughly matched the national rate.  As in Missouri, males had a higher rate than females nationally. However, Whites and Blacks had matching rates nationally, in contrast to a higher rate for Blacks in Missouri.

Chronic Disease Prevention

(tobacco use)

Tobacco use in Missouri declined substantially from baseline, overall and among Whites. However, the rate was flat among Blacks. In 2009, males had a higher rate than females. The rate for Whites remained higher than for Blacks, but this gap decreased considerably from baseline.

Comparison with national data. National tobacco use rates also decreased substantially. In 2009, the Missouri rate of tobacco use matched the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for Missouri.

Additional data may be available at: MO Department of Health and Senior Services