[kyro]

Also note that strokes are highly correlated with those two most likely due to it being a consequence of cardiovascular (read: heart) disease. The concentration of heart disease/stroke mortality in that region seems to be highly correlated with obesity distribution, which isn't a surprise. Actually, the state with the highest rate of obesity [1], Mississipi, is also the one with the highest mortality due to heart disease, and 3rd highest for strokes.

As for cancer mortality, the distribution closely matches that of smoking prevalence by state, more so than the distribution for heart disease, again not a surprise [2].

What I find the most interesting, though, are the lone states that don't seem to be a part of any cluster and have a high prevalence of, like high respiratory mortality (and influenza/pneumonia) in Wyoming, or Alzheimer's in Washington and North Dakota, or high drug mortality in Arizona (and not in any of the other border states).

[1] http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

[2] http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/AdultSmoking/

[icambron]

I have no expertise here, but I wonder if the Alzheimer's rate in Washington and North Dakota reflect differences is how deaths are classified.

[bane]

They're also statistically small numbers, so percentages are larger comparatively. But it definitely is one of the standout questions from this.

[bane]

The cancer bumps in West VA and Kentucky (and to some extent the rest of Appalachia) may have something to do with the mining industry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountaintop_removal_mining

"According to 21 scientific studies there has been major effects on the population in the Appalachia where MTM takes place including over 50% higher cancer rates, 42% higher birth defect rates, and $75 billion a year in public health costs from pollution."