2006 Annual Summary of Kansas Vital Statistics Released

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has released the 2006 Annual Summary of Kansas Vital Statistics. Program managers, epidemiologists, researchers and federal, state and local governments as well as the public use the annual summary to conduct studies and evaluations to guide policymaking decisions.

The tables and charts contained in the summary reflect data that is reported to KDHE regarding births, stillbirths, deaths, marriages, marriage dissolutions (divorce and annulment) and abortions. Analysis of trend data, county data and a comparison of Kansas to the nation are included in the report. Some of the highlights include:

• In 2006, a total of 40,896 births were registered to Kansas residents, 1,195 more than in 2005. This 3 percent increase is the highest since a 3.2 percent increase between 1997 and 1998. The number of births in 2006 is the highest reported since 1981 (41,202).
   
• In 2006, chronic lower respiratory disease became one of the top three causes of death behind heart disease and cancer. This is noteworthy since heart disease, cancer and cerebrovascular disease have been the top three killers since 1937.
   
• Between 1999 and 2006, the age-adjusted death rate for heart disease, the leading cause of death for Kansans, decreased 22.7 percent.
   
• The percent of Kansas mothers receiving inadequate prenatal care increased 6.6 percent between 2005 and 2006.
   
• Out-of-wedlock births followed national trends, increasing to a record high (14,376 or 35.2 percent of all births).
   
• After a steady decline in the pregnancy rate for females ages 10-19 from 1994 to 2004, the rate increased over the following two years. In 2006, the rate (27.1 per 1,000 female age-group population) was up 1.5 percent from 2005 (26.7) and 3.8 percent from the record low (26.1) in 2004.
   
• Almost half of the abortions performed in the state occurred to non-Kansas residents. The abortion ratio for Kansans increased 36.5 percent between 1987 (105.4 per 1,000 live births) and 2006 (143.9).
   
• Wide discrepancies in the infant, neonatal and post neonatal death rates between white non-Hispanics and black non-Hispanics have continued. The black non-Hispanic infant death rate (17.5 per 1,000 live births) is 2.8 times higher than the rate for whites (6.2).
   
• Marriage and marriage dissolution rates have dropped by nearly a quarter and a third, respectively, since 1987.
   
• Madison and Aiden were the most popular names given to newborns by Kansas parents in 2006. For the first time since the state began compiling a list, the top name for both girls and boys is not gender-specific.
   

The 2006 Annual Summary of Kansas Vital Statistics is available at www.kdheks.gov/ches/. Requests for single, printed copies of the annual summary can be made to the KDHE Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Office of Health Assessment at 785-296-8627 or 1-800-332-6262 (TDD/TT).

Note to reporters: A table containing selected vital statistics is attached.

Selected Vital Event Rates & Ratios, Kansas, 2005-2006

(1) Rate per 1,000 population
(2) Ratio per 100 live births
(3) Rate per 1,000 live births + stillbirths
(4) Rate per 1,000 live births
(5) Rate per 10,000 live births

Residence data presented for births and deaths. Occurrence data presented for marriages, and marriage dissolutions.