Mississippi Today

Mississippi’s infant mortality rate reaches five-year high

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2023

Mississippi’s infant mortality rate reached a five-year high in 2021, according to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The death rate of babies under one year of age rose from 8.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020 to 9.39 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available. Nationally, the rate remained relatively stable from 2020 to 2021.

A total of 330 Mississippi babies died before their first birthday in 2021.

Mississippi continues to have the highest rate of infant mortality of any state at nearly twice the national average of 5.44 infant deaths per 1,000.

The report does not break down specific causes of death by state, though Mississippi’s infant mortality review committee will release a report with more details.

“These numbers are extremely concerning, but we will have to wait on the Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committee reports to determine the causes of increased mortality rates. I suspect that we will see that the COVID-19 pandemic, high rates of congenital syphilis, and the issues of poverty and access to care had a detrimental effect on infants in the state,” State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said in an emailed statement to Mississippi Today.

The committee releases reports annually.

In the six years ending in 2021, Mississippi saw a 900% increase in babies born with syphilis – a sexually transmitted disease that is passed to an infant during pregnancy. The disease can cause miscarriages and death, and children that survive can have major malformations and life-long complications.

The state Health Department responded by adopting a regulation that mandates physicians test pregnant people for the disease. Before that, Mississippi was one of only six states in the nation that did not require syphilis screenings in pregnancy by law.

Nationally, the leading causes of infant mortality are: congenital malformations; disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight; Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID); unintentional injuries and maternal complications.

Dr. Anita Henderson, the past president of the Mississippi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said she is “very concerned” by the latest numbers.

“Black babies are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white babies. There are several preventable causes of death that are increasing, especially here in Mississippi. Our Sudden Unexpected Infant Death rate includes accidental suffocation and Mississippi, sadly, has the highest SUID rate in the nation,” according to the 2020 data, she said.

Henderson also pointed to several other drivers of the problem: the state's high rate of premature birth, its maternal health provider shortage and the difficulty low-income women have in receiving timely prenatal care.

“Presumptive eligibility for moms on Medicaid would facilitate timely access to prenatal care for that critical, first trimester OB visit. Over half of the counties in Mississippi do not have an OB or a delivering hospital,” she said. “Lack of access is dangerous and potentially deadly for Mississippi moms and babies.”

If a state offers presumptive eligibility, a low-income pregnant woman who is pregnant and seeking medical services will be presumed eligible for Medicaid coverage and the medical provider can provide prenatal care and be reimbursed by Medicaid – presumably allowing her to receive prenatal care earlier. Mississippi does not currently have presumptive eligibility for pregnant women.

Mississippi is also one of only 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving hundreds of thousands of Mississippians without health insurance. It is one of only three states that has neither expanded Medicaid or provides pregnancy presumptive eligibility as of 2020, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

This legislative session, lawmakers approved extending health care coverage for mothers on Medicaid to one year after giving birth. Moms had previously only been covered for 60 days postpartum. Proponents of the extension said there is a direct link between healthy mothers and healthy babies.

The Mississippi Delta saw some of the highest rates of infant mortality in the state in 2021 at 13.7 infant deaths per 1,000 births, according to state Health Department data. The rate represents 32 babies who died – the highest rate for the area since 2017.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

12 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

14 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.