TABLE 1—
State Rankings by Optimal Improvement in Black Infant Mortality Rate: United States, 1999–2013
| State | Black IMR (2000)a | Black IMR (2012)a | % Reduction in Black IMR From 2000 to 2012a | Black IMR Rolling Average 3-Year Rate, 2000–2012, Mean (95% CI) | What if We Were Equal? Number of Black Infant Lives Saved if Rates Were Equal to State’s White IMR From 1999 to 2013 (Cumulative)b | Year State Would Achieve IMR Equality on Current Trend (95% CI) |
| Arizona | 16.6 | 10.5 | 36.5 | 12.38 (11.18, 13.58) | 373 | 2038 (2036, 2040)c |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 10.6 | 33.5 | 11.23 (10.19, 12.27) | 163 | WNC |
| Massachusetts | 9.9 | 6.7 | 32.6 | 8.74 (7.96, 9.51) | 592 | 2025 (2024, 2027)c |
| New Jersey | 13.5 | 9.6 | 29.2 | 11.31 (10.63, 11.98) | 2 169 | WNC |
| Tennessee | 16.0 | 11.4 | 28.9 | 14.82 (13.70, 15.94) | 2 114 | 2029 (2026, 2031)c |
| Colorado | 12.7 | 9.3 | 26.9 | 12.97 (11.73, 14.22) | 344 | 2028 (2026, 2031)c |
| Connecticut | 13.1 | 9.6 | 26.8 | 12.25 (11.43, 13.07) | 566 | 2039 (2037, 2041)c |
| Nebraska | 13.0 | 9.5 | 26.6 | 12.55 (11.44, 13.66) | 178 | 2036 (2034, 2039)c |
| Georgia | 13.4 | 9.9 | 26.3 | 12.13 (11.21, 13.06) | 4 493 | 2039 (2037, 2041)c |
| South Carolina | 15.3 | 11.4 | 25.4 | 13.17 (12.29, 14.05) | 2 147 | 2035 (2033, 2037)c |
| Minnesota | 11.8 | 8.8 | 25.2 | 9.48 (8.77, 10.20) | 471 | 2057 (2055, 2058) |
| Missouri | 16.0 | 12.0 | 24.9 | 13.95 (13.11, 14.79) | 1 383 | 2037 (2035, 2040)c |
| New York | 10.9 | 8.2 | 24.7 | 10.03 (9.45, 10.61) | 4 058 | 2043 (2042, 2045)c |
| Michigan | 16.7 | 12.9 | 22.9 | 15.26 (14.40, 16.12) | 3 181 | 2042 (2039, 2044)c |
| Nevada | 11.6 | 9.1 | 22.2 | 11.56 (10.45, 12.68) | 297 | 2025 (2023, 2027)c |
| Washington | 10.8 | 8.5 | 21.3 | 8.33 (7.61, 9.05) | 236 | 2028 (2027, 2029)c |
| Illinois | 16.4 | 12.9 | 21.2 | 14.35 (13.63, 15.07) | 4 080 | 2049 (2046, 2051)c |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 11.9 | 20.9 | 14.43 (13.66, 15.20) | 3 640 | 2053 (2050, 2055) |
| Maryland | 13.6 | 10.9 | 20.2 | 12.51 (12.03, 12.98) | 2 863 | WNC |
| California | 11.5 | 9.4 | 18.9 | 10.63 (10.12, 11.15) | 2 934 | 2046 (2044, 2047)c |
| Delaware | 16.1 | 13.1 | 18.8 | 14.60 (13.83, 15.36) | 365 | WNC |
| Wisconsin | 16.8 | 13.8 | 18.0 | 15.53 (14.50, 16.56) | 1 038 | 2035 (2032, 2038)c |
| Pennsylvania | 15.1 | 12.4 | 17.8 | 13.77 (13.27, 14.26) | 2 765 | 2059 (2056, 2061) |
| Florida | 12.7 | 10.6 | 16.6 | 12.16 (11.69, 12.64) | 5 245 | 2066 (2064, 2068) |
| Mississippi | 14.7 | 12.4 | 15.8 | 14.18 (13.57, 14.78) | 2 026 | 2047 (2045, 2049)c |
| Alabama | 15.2 | 12.9 | 15.4 | 13.72 (13.30, 14.15) | 1 930 | 2051 (2049, 2053) |
| Oklahoma | 14.3 | 12.3 | 13.8 | 13.24 (12.52, 13.95) | 452 | 2042 (2040, 2044)c |
| Louisiana | 13.7 | 11.9 | 13.5 | 13.22 (12.52, 13.93) | 2 605 | 2052 (2050, 2054) |
| Arkansas | 12.3 | 10.8 | 12.2 | 12.51 (11.79, 13.23) | 624 | 2058 (2057, 2060) |
| Indiana | 14.4 | 12.8 | 11.2 | 14.39 (13.75, 15.04) | 1 152 | 2116 (2114, 2119) |
| Virginia | 13.0 | 11.7 | 10.7 | 13.16 (12.75, 13.58) | 2 591 | 2089 (2087, 2091) |
| Ohio | 15.1 | 13.6 | 10.0 | 14.80 (14.37, 15.22) | 2 987 | 2061 (2058, 2063) |
| Kentucky | 10.4 | 9.8 | 5.7 | 10.82 (10.25, 11.38) | 341 | 2065 (2064, 2066) |
| Texas | 10.9 | 10.5 | 3.8 | 11.31 (10.89, 11.74) | 3 942 | 2071 (2069, 2073) |
| Kansas | 14.0 | 13.7 | 2.7 | 14.21 (13.61, 14.80) | 531 | 2122 (2120, 2125) |
| Total | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | 64 876 | . . . |
Note. CI = confidence interval; IMR = infant mortality rate; WNC = would not converge.
a
The numbers were rounded to a single decimal point to comply with editorial guidelines. The percent change was calculated based on the formula [1- (2012 rate/2000 rate)]*100 using numbers to 2 decimals.
b
Rate calculated as Black deaths ([White IMR/1000]*Black births).
c
Signifies racial IMR equality by the year 2050; IMRs presented as 3-year rolling averages.