Report Finds America's Overall Health Declining, Despite Gains In Several Areas

November 5, 2007 5:49 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - A new joint report by the United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association, and Partnership for Prevention finds that the overall health of the nation has decreased over the past year, despite some progress being made in several key health areas.

According to the 2007 America's Health Rankings list, Vermont tops the list as the nation's healthiest state, beating out Minnesota for the first time in four years. Minnesota dropped to the second spot, followed by Hawaii, New Hampshire and Connecticut to round out the top five.

Once again, Southern states found themselves at the bottom of the list, with Mississippi and Louisiana at No. 49 and 50, respectively, and Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee comprising the rest of the bottom five.

The 18th annual edition of America's Health Rankings found that despite making gains in reducing cancer and cardiovascular mortality rates, the nation's overall health declined due to an increasing number of Americans living with preventable chronic diseases in an "extremely expensive" health care system.

Dr. Reed Tuckson, member of the board of United Health Foundation, said in a news release, "Even though specific mortality rates have improved, this report shows there are still many people who, through unhealthy personal behaviors, adverse community environments and difficult access to care, are vulnerable to a future life of poor health - which is essentially preventable."

The study analyzed a number of factors and rated each state on 20 key measurements, including infant mortality, prenatal care, obesity and workplace deaths, cancer deaths and high school graduation, to determine the health rankings.