Delaware’s Speak for Health State Fact Sheet
Public Health Funding
Strong investments in public health allow a state to carry out programs that improve health. Delaware receives $149 per person in funding from the CDC and HRSA. The Prevention and Public Health Fund awarded Delaware $3.92 million in grants for community and clinical prevention efforts and improvements to public health infrastructure in the 2023 fiscal year.
Access to Care
6.5% of people in Delaware do not have health insurance coverage compared to the national uninsured rate of 7.9%. The number of practicing health care providers is also an inportant measure of health care availability. Delaware has 332.8 active primary care providers per 100,000 people in comparison to the national rate of 283.4 per 100,000.
Notable Health Measures
- Housing – 14.3% of occupied housing units in the state experience severe housing problems like over-crowding or non-working plumbing.
- High School Graduation – 87.8% of students graduate from high school in Delaware. This is the 16th highest rate in the nation. People with higher levels of education are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors.
- Tobacco Use – 11.4% of adults in Delaware report smoking regularly, compared to a national average of 12.1%
Challenges
- Drug Deaths – Delaware reported 53.9 drug deaths per 100,000 population, the 3rd highest rate in the nation
- Diabetes – 18.3% of adults in Delaware are diabetic, ranking the state 8th highest for diabetes rates in the nation