State-by-State Analysis on the Nation's Health Focuses on the Determinations of Health and Overall Health Outcomes

December 11, 2008

America's Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities provides a historical view of the nation's health and an annual ranking of the healthiest and least healthy states. The 19th annual report, produced by the American Public Health Association, Partnership for Prevention, and United Health Foundation, is based on data from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Commerce, Education, and Labor; the Environmental Protection Agency; the American Medical Association; the Dartmouth Atlas Project; and the Trust for America's Health. The authors look at four groups of health determinants (personal behaviors, community and environment, public and health policies, clinical care) and combine individual measures of each of these determinants with the resultant health outcomes into one view of a state's health. Health determinants are also discussed separately from health outcomes. Topics include 2008 results, health disparities within the states, comparison to other nations, national and state changes from 1990 and from 2007, and state-by-state snapshots. Information about the study methodology and measures and partner messages and commentaries are included. The report is intended for use by individuals, communities, public health professionals, health industry employees, and public administration and health officials in stimulating action to improve the health of the U.S. population. It is available at http://www.americashealthrankings.org/2008/pdfs/2008.pdf.