New Report on America's Health Rankings Indicates Progress But Troubling Challenges

By Senior Editor, on December 12th, 2012

United Health Foundation's America's Health Rankings - 2012 The United Health Foundation’s released its 22nd annual America’s Health Rankings report on Tuesday, December 11.

Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Census Bureau and American Medical Association, the report provides an overview and state by state ranking of all 50 states in terms of health problems and progress.

The full America’s Health Rankings® 2012 report is available online (as a PDF document) from United Health Foundation.

Some Findings of the Report

The map above shows the top 10 healthiest states in gold color.

Vermont, once again, ranked as the number one healthiest state in America, followed by Hawaii, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Minnesota.

Among the least healthiest were Alabama, South Carolina, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and at the bottom of the list, Mississippi.

The report cites successes in lowering preventable hospitalizations, occupational fatalities, air pollution, infectious disease, premature death, cardiovascular deaths, cancer deaths, high school graduation, and violent crime.

Among troubling challenges were children in poverty, lack of health insurance, immunization coverage, and low birth weight.

The report cites health disparities among Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanic, Non-Hispanic Asian, Non-Hispanic Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Non Hispanic American Indian or Alaskan Native.

When comparing the health in the United States to health in other countries, the report concludes the picture is in many cases disappointing.

Watch a CBS News Video on “America’s Health Rankings show worrisome rates of chronic disease, inactivity” »