The health status of children and youth includes many aspects of a child’s physical and mental well-being. In this chapter, physical aspects of a child’s health status include topics such as special health care needs, body weight, diabetes, and asthma. Mental health status of children and youth is also included in this chapter. 

Fewer children with Medicaid/SCHIP in Ohio have an excellent overall health status than children with job-based insurance coverage.

Over one in five children in Ohio had special health care needs in 2008. Children with Medicaid/SCHIP are more likely to have special health care needs than children with job-based coverage or no health insurance.

Over one-third of children ages 10 to 17 living in Ohio were overweight or obese in 2008. A greater percentage of children ages 10-12 are overweight or obese than teen children ages 13 to 17 years old.

There were no statistically significant changes in the health status indicators since 2004.