state names on hover would be helpful
Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
11–20 of 99 posts
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#12Is it only me, or is California suspiciously low in almost every single category? Why would that be?
> Is it only me, or is California suspiciously low in almost every single category?
Well, its the second best overall, but "almost every single category"? 1. Heart, it is on the low side but near the middle of the pack;
2. Cancer, it is one of the best;
3. Respiratory, it is on the low side but not very low;
4. Stroke it is near the middle of the pack;
5. Accident it is fairly low;
6. Alzheimer's its is significantly worse than average;
7. Diabetes it is near the middle of the pack;
8. Nephritis it is quite low;
9. Influenza it is a bit worse than average, but near the middle;
10. Drug it is slightly better than average;
11. Suicide it is a little better than average;
12. Motor vehicle it is quite low but far from the best;
13. Firearms it is quite low but far from the best;
14. Alcohol it is notably worse than average;
15. Parkinson's it is a little better than average;
16. Homicide it is a hair better than average;
17. HIV it is better than average but far from the best.
No, I don't think that counts as "suspiciously low in almost every single category".
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#13What would be behind the suicide strip just in from the West coast? Struggling farmers? (I'm not from the US, so not overly familiar with all the states and what they're known for.)
Some recent research suggests the primary factor is "residential instability":
"Put another way, the very traits associated with the West (and romanticized in American culture)—individualism and independence, stoicism and solitude—may also have deeply negative implications for its people."
http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/newsroom-content/...
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
Suspicious in relation to what? Deaths per 100,000 is a relative measure and wouldn't be higher just because CA's population is large.
What I actually meant by suspicious is that it's uniformly low across many categories which at first sight look unrelated (e.g. cancer and firearms)
Its either going to be above or below average in every category, whether they are related or not. With enough categories, its going to be similarly situated across several of them no in any case.
Is it suspicious that Texas sits right in the middle in most categories?
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#15What would be behind the suicide strip just in from the West coast? Struggling farmers? (I'm not from the US, so not overly familiar with all the states and what they're known for.)
Social isolation? Three of the bluest states are Ca, Ny, Il, with the biggest cities.
Could be.
This suggests that farmers are concentrated in a central strip: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/0...
The map top right here indicates correlation with population density, as you suggested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_populati...
And the first map on this US history page suggests those areas were late to the state party. Would that have had a strong impact? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_(1...
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#16This is absolutely sluggish in firefox 24, but runs like butter in chrome. Does anyone have a similar experience? It looks like New Yorkers look both way when they cross the street.
Works in Waterfox with no issue...
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#17What would be behind the suicide strip just in from the West coast? Struggling farmers? (I'm not from the US, so not overly familiar with all the states and what they're known for.)
Some recent research suggests the primary factor is "residential instability": "Put another way, the very traits associated with the West (and romanticized in American culture)—individualism and independence, stoicism and solitude—may also have deeply negative implications for its people." http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/newsroom-content/...
Thanks for the link.
"They also guessed that the West's low population density might play a role in its high suicide rates, but the findings did not bear that out."
For others who don't read the article, residential instability is their suggestion leading to lessened social integration.
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#18This is a fascinating tool you've put together. One can look at all sorts of interesting contrasts and/or patterns from it. One that I found interesting is that Washington and Florida have among the lowest rates for the flu, on complete opposite corners of the map and with what most would say are very different climates. I was also surprised that the flu kills more per 100,000 than alcohol, firearms, or vehicles. It…
It should say influenza and pneumonia for that label. I just realized that error. That number sounds more appropriate that label. Adjusting now.
Update: Fixed.
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#19state names on hover would be helpful
That, or you could learn your US geography. :)
Re: Show HN: Mortality Rates in the US Visualized
#20Is it only me, or is California suspiciously low in almost every single category? Why would that be?
Just guessing; maybe age distribution, income distribution, and climate?
Here's a table showing age distribution by state. This doesn't explain everything, but WV does have the highest percentage (16%) of 65-and-overs. That might explain their poor showing, but LA and MS are unremarkable there: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0016.p...