Bending health curve remains daunting task for Oklahoma

The bad news ranges from birth to death, with alarming infant mortality rates and life expectancy trends. Whether male or female, statistics say Oklahomans will live two years less than the average American.

We hover above only Louisiana and Mississippi. Most of the bottom 10 states are in the South. The top 20, with the exception of Hawaii, all lie to our north. Combating regional trends and the complex interplay of poverty, education and health is a daunting task.

There are glimmers of hope. Oklahoma's strong categories include a low incidence of infectious disease (10th) and a low prevalence of binge drinking (12th). And remember that these measures are relative. Oklahoma has a slight downward trend in smoking, but we're not on pace with the national average. For the first time, though, the number of former smokers has eclipsed current smokers.

Smoking is a top legislative priority for state Health Commissioner Terry Cline, who spoke to The Oklahoman's editorial board last week about the state's manifold health challenges. Cline advocates a policy that would let municipalities make restaurants or businesses smoke-free. Currently, communities are prohibited from setting standards more stringent than state law.