Oregon

Health

In 2000, the infant mortality rate was 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, well below the national rate of 6.9. In 1999, 14,145 legal abortions were performed in Oregon, a rate of 20 abortions per 1,000 women. The HIV mortality rate per 100,000 population was 1.8, well below the national average of 5.3 in 2000. A total of 5,056 AIDS cases had been reported in Oregon through 2001. Major causes of death in 2000 (with rates per 100,000 population) were heart disease, 212.3; cancer, 208.0; cerebrovascular diseases, 71.9; accidents and adverse effects, 38.2; motor vehicle accidents, 14.3 and suicide, 14.8. The overall death rate of 884.5 per 100,000 population is higher than the national rate of 873.1. At least 20.8% of Oregon residents 18 and older smoked in 2000.

Oregon's 60 community hospitals had 334,862 admissions and 6,660 beds in 2001. There were 11,266 full-time registered nurses and 575 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and 265 physicians per 100,000 population in 2000. The average expense of a community hospital for care was $1,137.80 per inpatient day in 2001.

Federal government grants to cover the Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $1.8 billion; 495,704 enrollees received Medicare benefits that year. At least 12.8% of Oregon's residents were uninsured in 2002.

The only medical and dental schools in the state are at the University of Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.