America's Health Rankings

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America's Health Rankings

Formation	1990
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Minnetonka, Minnesota
Founder	United Health Foundation
Website	America's Health Rankings

America's Health Rankings is an annual report that evaluates the overall health of the United States. It is published by the United Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by UnitedHealth Group. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the nation's health on a state-by-state basis, using a variety of health, environmental, and socioeconomic indicators.

History

America's Health Rankings was first published in 1990. The report was created to provide a holistic view of the health of the U.S. population and to encourage improvements in public health policies and practices. Over the years, it has become a valuable resource for policymakers, healthcare providers, and public health professionals.

Methodology

The rankings are based on a model that includes four main categories: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Policy, and Clinical Care. Each category is composed of multiple indicators that are weighted and combined to produce an overall score for each state.

• Behaviors: This category includes indicators such as smoking, physical inactivity, excessive drinking, and obesity.
• Community and Environment: This category examines factors like air pollution, violent crime, and high school graduation rates.
• Policy: This category looks at public health policies, including immunization rates, public health funding, and tobacco taxes.
• Clinical Care: This category assesses access to and quality of healthcare services, including the number of primary care physicians, preventable hospitalizations, and health insurance coverage.

Key Findings

The report highlights significant health disparities across different states and regions. States in the Northeast and West Coast often rank higher in overall health compared to states in the South and Midwest. Common health challenges identified in the report include high rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as issues related to mental health and substance abuse.

Impact

America's Health Rankings has influenced public health policy and initiatives at both the state and national levels. By identifying areas of concern and tracking progress over time, the report helps to inform decision-making and resource allocation. It also serves as a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of public health interventions.

See Also

• Healthy People (program)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Institutes of Health
• Public health in the United States

External Links

• Official website