Stats of the States: Arkansas

Arkansas has the highest teen birth rate in the nation (30.4 live births per 1,000 females ages 15-19), and the 10^th highest overall fertility rate for women of all ages. Arkansas also has the 3^rd highest marriage rate in the country, behind Nevada and Hawaii, but also the 2^nd highest divorce rate (behind Nevada). The leading cause of death in the state is Heart Disease, followed by (2) Cancer (3) Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (4) Stroke (5) Accidents (6) Alzheimer disease (7) Diabetes (8) Kidney Disease (9) Influenza & Pneumonia, and (10) Suicide. The infant mortality rate in Arkansas is the 3^rd highest in the country. The state ranks 6^th in cesarean deliveries and in low birthweight births and 5^th in preterm births. However, the drug overdose rate in Arkansas of 15.7 overdose deaths per 100,000 people is among the lower rates in the country and is 27% lower than the national rate.

SOURCE: National Vital Statistics System, 2018

LINK:     https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/arkansas/ar.htm