Health conditions in the nation's capital are no source of national pride. The infant mortality rate was 12.0 per 1,000 live births in 2000. Legal abortions numbered 7,373 within the District in 1999. In 2000, the District had an overall death rate of 1,157.7 per 100,000 population, higher than any state except West Virginia. In addition, the death rate from cardiovascular diseases was among highest in the nation, at 338.8 per 100,000 in 2000. The death rates for cerebrovascular diseases, motor vehicle accidents, and suicide, however, were below the overall US rates. Firearm-related deaths in the District, 28.7 per 100,000, far exceeded the national rate of 10.4 in 2000. The homicide rate of 35.5 per 100,000 also remains the highest in the country. Of the residents 18 years of age and older 20.9% were smokers in 2000. In 2000, the HIV-related death rate (45.6 per 100,000 population) was the highest in the US. AIDS cases numbering 13,969 had been reported through 2001.
The District of Columbia's 10 community hospitals had 131,906 admissions and 3,372 beds in 2001. There were 4,577 full-time registered nurses and 292 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and 718 physicians per 100,000 population in 2000. The average expense of a community hospital for care was $3,772.50 per inpatient day.
Federal government grants to cover the Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $701 million; 74,701 enrollees received Medicare benefits that year.