by Dave Ranney, KHI News Service
Topeka — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this week released its annual summary of vital statistics for 2013.
The 206-page report features county-by-county data on pregnancies, births, deaths, abortions, marriages and divorces.
A sampling of the findings:
• Kansas’ infant mortality rate increased from 6.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2012 to 6.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013. The state recorded 248 infant deaths in 2013.
• Kansas recorded 505 resident suicides in 2012 and 426 in 2013.
• The 10 leading causes of death remained the same as 2012: cancer, heart disease, lung disease, accidents, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, pneumonia/influenza, diabetes and suicide.
• Tobacco use contributed to almost one in five deaths.
• Kansas’ birth rate in 2013 – 13.4 births per 1,000 populations – was the lowest since the state began compiling vital statistics in 1912. The state’s birth rate peaked at 26.8 births per 1,000 population in 1954.
• Out-of-wedlock births accounted for 36.2 percent of all Kansas births in 2013. Since 1994, the state’s out-of-wedlock birth rate has increased 45.6 percent.
• One in eight mothers reported “cigarette use” at some time during their pregnancies last year.
• In 2013, Kansas recorded 17,328 marriages, 8,869 divorces and 216 annulments.
• The state recorded 7,485 abortions last year; 3,722 involved out-of-state residents and 3,763 involved in-state residents.
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