Hawaii ranks 8th nationally in getting CDC funding
Advertiser Staff
The state does well when it comes to getting its share of federal public health dollars, a new report shows.
Hawai'i received $25.55 for each person on average from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the eighth-highest funding level in the nation on a per-capita basis.
The report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found a wide range of funding levels through the country, with Midwestern and Southern states generally receiving less than other regions.
Alaska topped all states with a $52.78 per-person average in fiscal 2008, while Indiana was the lowest at $12.74 per person.
The national average for CDC funding was $17.60 per person.
The report said about 75 percent of CDC's budget is given out through grants and agreements to support programs preventing disease or preparing for health disasters.
"The report, "Shortchanging America's Health: A State-by-State Look at How Federal Public Health Dollars are Spent," also discusses how the economic downturn could lead to cuts in disease prevention and emergency preparedness at the state level.
"The financial crisis makes it more important than ever for the country to make prevention a top priority," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, chief executive officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
