New Mexico
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 Findings
Data indicating changes for New Mexico were limited to a few objectives and findings were mixed. Overall mortality decreased among younger and older adolescents, but increased among young adults. Older adolescent mortality rates for motor vehicle crashes and suicide remained flat. Because baseline data were not available for most objectives, change in most areas could not be evaluated.
New Mexico rates compared unfavorably with national rates for most objectives. Rates of overall mortality were much higher in New Mexico than nationally, as were rates of motor vehicle crash mortality and suicide. New Mexico also had higher rates of physical fighting, weapon carrying, suicide attempts requiring medical attention, and tobacco use. Rates were fairly similar to national rates for safety belt use, current sexual activity, and condom 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 New Mexico decreased among younger and older adolescents, but increased among young adults, with a particularly large increase among Native American young adults. One exception to this pattern was a decrease among Hispanic young adults. In 2007, the mortality rate for older adolescents and young adults was more than three times higher for males than females. Among older adolescents and young adults, Native Americans had by far the highest rates, followed by Hispanics, then Whites. These differences were fairly large, except for a relatively small difference between Hispanic and White older adolescents.
Comparison with national data. As in New Mexico, national mortality rates decreased for younger and older adolescents, and increased among young adults. Unlike New Mexico, the rate for Hispanic young adults increased nationally. In 2007, rates of mortality in New Mexico were much higher than national rates; the state-national difference was especially large among Native American young adults. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns mostly matched the patterns in New Mexico, with a small exception among older adolescents. Whites had a slightly higher rate nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Mexico; both national and state differences between Hispanics and Whites were small.
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 New Mexico due to motor vehicle crashes (MVC) was essentially flat from baseline. An increase among young adults was largely offset by a decrease among older adolescents. Rates decreased considerably among Native Americans overall. In 2007, males had nearly three times the rate of females. Native Americans had by far the highest rate, followed by Hispanics and then Whites.
Comparison with national data. National adolescent motor vehicle crash mortality overall was also flat from baseline, with a large decrease among Native Americans, similar to New Mexico. In 2007, the overall rate of MVC mortality for New Mexico was much higher than the national rate overall and for Native Americans and Hispanics. The 2007 rate for Whites in New Mexico roughly matched the national rate for Whites. The National gender patterns roughly matched the pattern noted for New Mexico. Also similar to New Mexico, Native Americans had by far the highest rates nationally. However, Whites had a slightly higher rate than Hispanics nationally, in contrast to somewhat higher rates for Hispanics in New Mexico.
In 2009, the female rate of safety belt use in New Mexico was slightly higher than the rate for males. Racial/ethnic differences were fairly small. Whites had the highest rates, followed closely by adolescents of multiple races; Hispanics had the next highest rates followed closely by Blacks; Native Americans had the lowest rate of safety belt use.
Comparison with national data. New Mexico rates of safety belt use were only slightly higher than national rates in 2009. As in New Mexico, females had a higher rate than males nationally. Also similar to New Mexico, racial/ethnic differences were fairly small, however, the national pattern varied slightly from the pattern noted for New Mexico. Nationally, Hispanics had the highest rates followed by Whites, adolescents of multiple races, Blacks and then Native Americans.
In 2009, rates of adolescents in New Mexico who report riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol were roughly equal among males than females. Native Americans, Hispanics and adolescents of multiple races were most likely to report this behavior and had virtually matching rates; Blacks had the next highest rate and Whites had the lowest rate.
Comparison with national data. The overall rate in New Mexico of riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol was slightly lower than the national rate. As in New Mexico, males and females had similar rates of this behavior nationally. In contrast to New Mexico, Hispanics reported the highest rates, followed by adolescents of multiple races, Blacks, then Native Americans. Whites had the lowest rates nationally, as in New Mexico.
Violence
(Homicide, physical fighting, weapon carrying)
New Mexico homicide rates were based on fewer than 20 deaths; thus were unsuitable for analyses. Data suggest a decrease in among older adolescents, including males in that age group.
New Mexico rates of physical fighting were much higher among males than females in 2009. Adolescents of multiple races and Native Americans were most likely to report this behavior and had roughly equal rates; Blacks had the next highest rates, followed very closely by Hispanics; Whites had the lowest rate.
Comparison with national data. The rate of physical fighting in New Mexico was higher than the national rate in 2009. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns mostly matched the patterns noted for New Mexico. However, adolescents of multiple races had a low rate relative to most groups nationally, in contrast to a relatively high rate in New Mexico.
Weapon carrying among male adolescents in New Mexico was more than two times the rate of females in 2009. Adolescents of multiple races had the highest rate, followed by Whites. Native Americans and Hispanics had matching rates, the lowest among racial/ethnic groups.
Comparison with national data. The 2009 rate of weapon carrying in New Mexico was much higher than the national rate. As in New Mexico, males had a much higher rate than females nationally. Native Americans had the highest nationally, rate followed by Whites, adolescents of multiple races, and Hispanics. Racial/ethnic differences were smaller nationally than in New Mexico.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
(binge drinking, marijuana use, suicide, suicide attempts requiring medical attention)
In 2009, rates of binge drinking in New Mexico were virtually matching among males and females. Adolescents of multiple races and Hispanics had roughly equal rates, the highest among racial/ethnic groups. Blacks and Native Americans had similar rates, which were the next highest. Whites had the lowest rate of binge drinking.
Comparison with national data. As in New Mexico, final national rates of binge drinking were roughly matching for males and females. Rates of binge drinking nationally were highest among Native Americans, followed by Whites, Hispanics, adolescents of multiple races, and Blacks. This stands in contrast to the pattern noted in New Mexico.
In 2009, rates of marijuana use for males and females in New Mexico were virtually matching. Native Americans had the highest rate, followed by Hispanics, adolescents of multiple races, and then Whites.
Comparison with national data. Males had a slightly higher rate than females nationally, compared to roughly matching rates in New Mexico. As in New Mexico, Native Americans had the highest rate of marijuana use nationally. However, in contrast to New Mexico, Whites had the next highest rate, followed by adolescents of multiple races, then Hispanics.
The rate of suicide in New Mexico among older adolescents was essentially flat from baseline. Rates for subgroups were based on fewer than 20 deaths; thus were unsuitable for analyses.
Comparison with national data. The national suicide rate for older adolescents was also essentially flat from baseline. The New Mexico rate for older adolescents was three times greater than the national rate.
In 2009, the rate of adolescent suicide attempts in New Mexico requiring medical attention was higher among females than males. Native Americans had the highest rate among racial/ethnic groups, followed by Hispanics and then Whites.
Comparison with national data. The New Mexico rate of suicide attempts requiring medical attention was higher than the national rate. The national gender patterns matched the pattern noted for New Mexico. Also similar to New Mexico, Whites had the lowest rate nationally. However, Hispanics had the highest rate nationally, followed by Native Americans, the reverse of the pattern noted in New Mexico.
Reproductive Health
(no current sexual activity, condom use)
Please note, for “no current sexual activity”, the text and table present findings about adolescents who are 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, rates of sexually experienced adolescents in New Mexico reporting current sexual activity were very similar for males and females. Hispanics had the highest rate, followed by Native Americans and Whites, who had similar rates.
Comparison with national data. In 2009, the New Mexico rate of currently sexually active adolescents virtually matched the national rate; the rate for Native Americans in New Mexico was much lower than the national rate for that group. Nationally, females had a slightly higher rate than males, similar to the roughly matching rates in New Mexico. Nationally Native Americans had the highest rates, followed by Hispanics and Whites who had similar rates; this contrasts with New Mexico, where Hispanics had a higher rate than Native Americans.
Rates of adolescent condom use in New Mexico were higher among males than females in 2009. Whites had the highest rate, followed by Hispanics, and then Native Americans.
Comparison with national data. The rate of condom use in New Mexico was slightly lower than the national rate in 2009. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for New Mexico.
Chronic Disease Prevention
(tobacco use)
Rates of tobacco use in New Mexico were higher among males than females in 2009. Native Americans had the highest rates, followed by Hispanics and Whites, who had virtually matching rates.
Comparison with national data. In 2009, the New Mexico rate of tobacco use was higher than the national rate; the rate for Hispanics in New Mexico was much higher than the national rate for that group. As in New Mexico, males had a higher rate than females nationally. Also similar to New Mexico, Native Americans had the highest rate of tobacco use. However, Whites had a much higher rate than Hispanics nationally, in contrast to virtually matching rates in New Mexico.
Additional data may be available at: http://ibis.health.state.nm.us/home/Welcome.html
