In 2000, Mississippi's infant mortality rate was the highest in the US at 10.7 per 1,000 population, significantly higher than the national rate of 6.9. There were 3,878 legal abortions in the state in 1999, averaging 6 per 1,000 women. In 2000, Mississippi's overall rate of death was amongst the highest in the nation, 1,028.1 per 100,000 population. Also in that same year, Mississippi's death rates from heart diseases (332.1 per 100,000 population) and cerebrovascular diseases (71.7) exceeded national rates. The death rate for motor vehicle accidents was the highest in the nation, 33.5, more than double the national rate of 15.7. In the same year, the HIV-related death rate (5.7 per 100,000 population) also exceeded the national rate of 5.3; a total of 4,877 AIDS cases had been reported through 2001. Among persons ages 18 and older, 23.5% were smokers in 2000.
Mississippi's 96 community hospitals had 436,100 admissions and 13,670 beds in 2001. There were 11,279 full-time registered nurses and 2,344 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and only 181 physicians per 100,000 population in 2000. The average expense of a community hospital for care was $1,264.70 per inpatient day in 2001.
Federal government grants to cover the Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $2.0 billion; 423,436 enrollees received Medicare benefits that year. Approximately 16.4% of the state's adult population had no health insurance in 1998.