Vermont was again named the healthiest state in the nation as the United Health Foundation today released its 2011 edition of America’s Health Rankings. All six New England states were in the top 10.
Vermont has been among the top five healthiest states for the past eight years, climbing steadily from 20th in 1990 to 12th in 2000, to become first in 2007, 2009 and 2010. See Chart below for all states.
This year, Vermont ranked among the top 10 healthiest states in 15 of 23 public health measures relating to behaviors, community and environment, health policies, clinical care, and health outcomes.
‘Public health is what we all do together to assure the conditions in which people can be their healthiest,’ said Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD. ‘Compared to other states, Vermonters are faring well. But not all of us are as healthy as we can be ‘ especially those who are younger, have less education and lower incomes.’
Vermont is notable for its high rates of high school graduation, lower incidence of infectious disease, low violent crime rate, and high use of early prenatal care. Vermont also this year received the first and only ‘A’ on the March of DimesPremature Birth Report Card.
‘We can all take pride in Vermont’s standing as the healthiest state,’ said Gov. Peter Shumlin. ‘This is a time to celebrate and learn from our successes to meet the great health challenges ahead. We still have much work to make health reform a reality for every Vermonter.’
Vermont faces many of the same challenges as other states: While smoking rates have dropped to 15 percent among adults, that still leaves an estimated 76,000 smokers who have not quit. With 17 percent of adults reporting that they binge drink, we continue to have an alcohol abuse problem. A growing percentage of Vermonters are overweight or obese, resulting in higher rates of serious chronic illnesses such as diabetes. More children are living in poverty than before. And, with only moderate childhood immunization coverage, there is greater risk for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis (whooping cough) to spread through communities.
Last year the Health Department published The Health Disparities of Vermonters 2010, a comprehensive report that details the causes and consequences of differences in health status among Vermonters. This year the state is setting new Healthy Vermonters 2020 goals and objectives to improve the public’s health.
‘Our congratulations to Vermont for once again being the ‘healthiest’ state in the country,’ said Reed Tuckson, M.D., United Health Foundation board member and executive vice president and chief of medical affairs, UnitedHealth Group. ‘This is clear evidence of the commitment that the individuals, communities, health care providers, the private sector, and Vermont’s government institutions to creating and sustaining conditions that promote health. Vermont, like all states, has an opportunity to further improve, particularly in the areas of binge drinking and immunization rates.’
America’s Health Rankingsâ ¢ published by the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention is the longest running annual assessment of the nation’s health. For 22 years, theRankings has provided an analysis of national health on a state-by-state basis by evaluating a historical and comprehensive set of health, environmental and socio-economic data to determine national health benchmarks and state rankings.
For more information about the rankings, an interactive map, and information on actions that everyone can take to take to improve public health:www.americashealthrankings.org
2011 OVERALL RANKINGS
Alphabetical by State
Rank Order
2011 Rank
(1-50)
State
Score
2011 Rank
(1-50)
State
Score
46
Alabama
-0.607
1
Vermont
1.197
35
Alaska
-0.168
2
New Hampshire
1.027
29
Arizona
0.050
3
Connecticut
1.010
47
Arkansas
-0.622
4
Hawaii
0.940
24
California
0.265
5
Massachusetts
0.906
9
Colorado
0.555
6
Minnesota
0.755
3
Connecticut
1.010
7
Utah
0.723
30
Delaware
-0.032
8
Maine
0.575
33
Florida
-0.119
9
Colorado
0.555
37
Georgia
-0.275
10
Rhode Island
0.549
4
Hawaii
0.940
11
New Jersey
0.495
19
Idaho
0.344
12
North Dakota
0.494
28
Illinois
0.098
13
Wisconsin
0.476
38
Indiana
-0.290
14
Oregon
0.475
17
Iowa
0.401
15
Washington
0.443
26
Kansas
0.128
16
Nebraska
0.414
43
Kentucky
-0.478
17
Iowa
0.401
49
Louisiana
-0.817
18
New York
0.392
8
Maine
0.575
19
Idaho
0.344
22
Maryland
0.269
20
Virginia
0.343
5
Massachusetts
0.906
21
Wyoming
0.311
30
Michigan
-0.032
22
Maryland
0.269
6
Minnesota
0.755
23
South Dakota
0.267
50
Mississippi
-0.822
24
California
0.265
40
Missouri
-0.342
25
Montana
0.139
25
Montana
0.139
26
Kansas
0.128
16
Nebraska
0.414
26
Pennsylvania
0.128
42
Nevada
-0.471
28
Illinois
0.098
2
New Hampshire
1.027
29
Arizona
0.050
11
New Jersey
0.495
30
Delaware
-0.032
34
New Mexico
-0.141
30
Michigan
-0.032
18
New York
0.392
32
North Carolina
-0.068
32
North Carolina
-0.068
33
Florida
-0.119
12
North Dakota
0.494
34
New Mexico
-0.141
36
Ohio
-0.233
35
Alaska
-0.168
48
Oklahoma
-0.669
36
Ohio
-0.233
14
Oregon
0.475
37
Georgia
-0.275
26
Pennsylvania
0.128
38
Indiana
-0.290
10
Rhode Island
0.549
39
Tennessee
-0.314
45
South Carolina
-0.521
40
Missouri
-0.342
23
South Dakota
0.267
41
West Virginia
-0.413
39
Tennessee
-0.314
42
Nevada
-0.471
44
Texas
-0.508
43
Kentucky
-0.478
7
Utah
0.723
44
Texas
-0.508
1
Vermont
1.197
45
South Carolina
-0.521
20
Virginia
0.343
46
Alabama
-0.607
15
Washington
0.443
47
Arkansas
-0.622
41
West Virginia
-0.413
48
Oklahoma
-0.669
13
Wisconsin
0.476
49
Louisiana
-0.817
21
Wyoming
0.311
50
Mississippi
-0.822