It’s finally here: The official launch day of United Health Foundation’s 2012 America’s Health Rankings®. We at United Health Foundation look forward to this day all year long because it gives us such a valuable opportunity to start a national dialogue about the health of our communities, states and country as a whole.
For the sixth year in a row, Vermont is the nation’s healthiest state. Hawaii is ranked second, followed by New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Minnesota. The five least healthy states are South Carolina (46), West Virginia (47), Arkansas (48), and Mississippi and Louisiana, which tied for the 49th slot. States that showed the most substantial improvement in rankings include: New Jersey (nine slots), Maryland (five slots), and Alabama, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Rhode Island (three slots). To see the Rankings in full, visit: www.americashealthrankings.org.
Of course, it’s not just about who is ranking high or low; it’s about celebrating and sharing what’s working for the states at the top and for states making gains. As we think about these best practices, it becomes strikingly apparent that we would not be able to advance community health without the diligent and often unsung work of our nation’s 450,000 public health workers. These heroes are promoting health and preventing diseases in their communities through PSAs, health outcome surveillance, promotion of safe water and so much more.
In my commentary published with this year’s Rankings, I tell the story of the Dr. Marion Kainer, director of the Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program for the Tennessee Department of Health. Dr. Kainer was among the first to notice a suspicious case of meningitis, and her ensuing work was crucial in uncovering the source of the fungal contamination that we all know has become a national emergency. Her work with other experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration helped ensure this catastrophe did not grow any larger than it did.
Our public health workers are playing a more important role than ever, not just in surveillance, but also in addressing the increasing burden of preventable chronic disease. However, our public health heroes cannot do it alone. Longer lives need not be sicker lives, and we must all come together to do more to prevent the risk factors within our personal control.
I am proud to announce that the United Health Foundation is doing its part by launching a new learning collaborative with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials that will identify states that have improved in key measures in the Rankings and study best practices that have contributed to their successes. In addition, we are providing funding to the National Business Coalition on Health to operate private sector-led health engagement activities with multiple stakeholders. We are also continuing to fund the Department of Health and Human Services' Million Hearts initiative, which is a wonderful example of diverse stakeholders coming together to address an important health challenge.
This is all part of the work we do year round, because while we officially launch the Rankings on a single day, we don’t ever consider our work done. I encourage you to visit our website and explore the materials and information we offer, especially in our Take Action Resource Library. There you’ll find resources that can help you enact healthier changes for your family, your community and your state.