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Vermont Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported their health was very good or excellent
Vermont Rank:
Additional Measures:
Explore Population Data:
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Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported their health was very good or excellent
>= 46.5%
43.9% - 46.4%
41.0% - 43.8%
36.5% - 40.9%
<= 36.4%
US Value: 40.7%
Top State(s): New Hampshire: 50.0%
Bottom State(s): Mississippi: 28.8%
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported their health was very good or excellent
Data Source and Years(s): CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Self-reported health status is a measure of how individuals perceive their health. It is a subjective measure of health-related quality of life and is not limited to specific health conditions or outcomes. Instead, it is informed by life experiences, the health of others in one’s life, support from family and friends and other factors affecting well-being. Health status is used to track the health of a population over time and is an independent predictor of mortality, which makes this measure a good predictor of both short- and long-term mortality as well as future use of health care, particularly among those age 65 and older.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of adults age 65 and older who report “very good” or “excellent” health is higher among:
People with higher levels of education are more likely to be healthier. While older adults cannot change whether or not they received a high school education during young adulthood, education remains one of the most important drivers of health. Health literacy skills, for example, are key predictors of an individual's well-being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has multiple plans to help individuals or organizations improve health literacy among older adults.
Mental health is also essential to overall wellness. Studies have found that social and emotional support can increase mentally healthy days for older individuals — having supportive relationships is another strong predictor of an individual's overall health. Therefore, policies and interventions aimed at promoting social ties and reducing social isolation could help to advance population health.
Other ways to support healthy aging include visiting the doctor for regular health screenings, staying active, eating healthy foods and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
High self-reported health status is one of the overall measures Healthy People 2030 uses to monitor the health and well-being of the population on a comprehensive level.
Benyamini, Yael. “Why Does Self-Rated Health Predict Mortality? An Update on Current Knowledge and a Research Agenda for Psychologists.” Psychology & Health 26, no. 11 (November 2011): 1407–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2011.621703.
Brown, Derek S., William W. Thompson, Matthew M. Zack, Sarah E. Arnold, and John P. Barile. “Associations Between Health-Related Quality of Life and Mortality in Older Adults.” Prevention Science 16, no. 1 (January 1, 2015): 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-013-0437-z.
Clouston, Sean A. P., Marcus Richards, Dorina Cadar, and Scott M. Hofer. “Educational Inequalities in Health Behaviors at Midlife: Is There a Role for Early-Life Cognition?” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 56, no. 3 (September 2015): 323–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146515594188.
Keyes, C. L., B. Michalec, R. Kobau, H. Zahran, M. M. Zack, and E. J. Simoes. “Social Support and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults --- Missouri, 2000.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 54, no. 17 (May 6, 2005): 433–37. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5417a4.htm.
Lorem, Geir, Sarah Cook, David A. Leon, Nina Emaus, and Henrik Schirmer. “Self-Reported Health as a Predictor of Mortality: A Cohort Study of Its Relation to Other Health Measurements and Observation Time.” Scientific Reports 10 (December 2020): 4886. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61603-0.
Myers, David G. “Close Relationships and Quality of Life.” In Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology, edited by Daniel Kahneman, Ed Diener, and Norbert Schwarz, 376–93. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications, 1999. https://davidmyers.org/uploads/Close.Relationships.pdf.
Perrin, Nancy A., Matt Stiefel, David M. Mosen, Alan Bauck, Elizabeth Shuster, and Erin M. Dirks. “Self-Reported Health and Functional Status Information Improves Prediction of Inpatient Admissions and Costs.” The American Journal of Managed Care 17, no. 12 (December 1, 2011): e472-478. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22216871/.
Umberson, Debra, and Jennifer Karas Montez. “Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 51, no. 1_suppl (March 2010): S54–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.