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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho saw the highest number of deaths in 2013 throughout the state since record-keeping began, with cancer barely squeezing out heart disease as the No. 1 cause of death, according to the state Department of Health and Welfare.
The recently released report, Idaho Vital Statistics 2013, found more than 12,400 people died in Idaho in 2013. The year prior, it was just shy of 12,000.
"I look at cancer, heart disease and stroke, all three the top causes of death in Idaho, and I can see all of those can be linked to smoking," said Joanne Gaff, a health policy analyst for the Central District Health Department. The district manages public health services in western Idaho, including Ada County, the state's most populated region.
Smoking rates tend to be higher in poorer socio-economic communities, which tend to have limited access to health services, Gaff said. "We would like to see more participation in all our cessation programs, but we do continue to offer them," she said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Idaho ranks 15 out of all states in cigarette use. That means nearly 17 percent of Idaho's adult population —more than 187,000 people— are regular cigarette smokers.
The higher death rate for 2013 is expected, given Idaho's recent jump in population, department spokeswoman Niki Forbing-Orr said. Furthermore, Idaho's death rate is lower than the national average, which has consistently been slightly higher than the state's rate.
North-central Idaho, which includes rural counties such as Latah, Nez Perce and Lewis counties, had the highest death rate even though its population is lower than more populated areas in northern and western Idaho.
The annual report also records vital statistics such as deaths, births, marriages and divorces. Officials found a decline in the number of births and induced abortions that year. In 2013, Idaho had nearly 22,350 births or about 600 less than a year prior.
The most common girl names in 2013 were Emma, Olivia, and Sophia; while the most common boy names were Liam, Wyatt and William.
But the report also selects top unique names, ranging from Truly Blessed, Uhlexa and Luuvlee for girls and Scutlund, Danger and Rembrandt for boys.
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