ABSTRACT
A recent Urban Institute report (Zuckerman and Coughlin 2006) concluded:
Although Hurricane Katrina created many health problems, a wide range of indicators suggests that Louisiana had poor health status even before the storm hit. According to the United Health Foundation's 2004 State Health Rankings, for example, Louisiana ranked lowest overall in the country…. It numbered among one of the five worst states for infant mortality, cancer deaths, prevalence of smoking, and premature deaths … Louisianans also had among the nation's highest rates of cardiovascular deaths, motor vehicle deaths, occupational fatalities, infectious diseases, and violent crime.
