Healthy People

Tooth decay (also known as caries or cavities) is one of the most common chronic health conditions affecting children in the United States. American Indian and Alaska Native children have especially high rates of tooth decay; the rate for American Indian and Alaska Native children ages 3 to 5 is 43%—more than 4 times the rate for white children.

Exposure to secondhand smoke contributes to the deaths of 41,000 nonsmoking adults and 400 infants in the United States each year. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at higher risk for serious health conditions, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and respiratory diseases. Smoke-free environments are vital to children's health and well-being, yet close to 40% of U.S. children ages 3 to 11 are exposed to secondhand smoke.

From Healthy People 2020 Stories from the Field, a series highlighting communities across the Nation that are addressing the Leading Health Indicators (LHIs). Prescription opioids continue to factor significantly in the epidemic of deaths from opioid overdose in the United States. In 2016, more than 46 people died each day from overdoses involving prescription opioids...