As a longstanding champion of public health and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People goals, the United Health Foundation is honored to be recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion.
Healthy People 2030 is a program created by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that sets data-driven national objectives for the nation’s health and well-being over the next decade, with a key focus on addressing the social determinants of health and working toward health equity. It also provides data to track the nation’s progress towards achieving those goals and tools that help guide individuals, organizations and communities do so.
The America’s Health Rankings® platform exemplifies the United Health Foundation’s commitment to this vision, drawing attention to the cornerstones of public health and providing a roadmap to better understand the health of various populations. The platform reflects more than 30 years of data and analysis and supports the United Health Foundation’s mission of helping build healthier communities.
America’s Health Rankings helps measure progress against Healthy People goals and toward health equity by focusing on data collection, coordination and standardization that enable comparisons across geographies and subpopulations. America’s Health Rankings also releases a variety of reports each year to assess the nation’s health (Annual Report) and health of key subpopulations, including older adults (Senior Report), women of reproductive age, infants and children (Health of Women and Children Report) and active duty and veteran U.S. service members (Health of Those Who Served Report). These reports highlight progress — or lack thereof — toward Healthy People 2030 objectives in flu vaccination, obesity, smoking and other measures.
In 2021, the platform also released its inaugural Health Disparities Report, which used 30 health-related measures to document the breadth, depth and persistence of health disparities across the nation to provide objective data to inform action for advancing health equity. The report revealed an urgent need to address disparities in maternal mortality, mental and behavioral health and food insecurity in the U.S., in alignment with Healthy People 2030 objectives and leading health indicators.
Using America’s Health Rankings data as a starting point, the United Health Foundation aims to facilitate action from public health officials, community leaders, policymakers and leading stakeholder organizations based on report findings. These data and the Healthy People objectives also serve as guideposts for the Foundation’s broader work to advance health equity, including its support of a 21st century health workforce that provides culturally competent care to underserved populations: Since 2007, the United Health Foundation’s Diverse Scholars Initiative has funded nearly 3,000 scholarships ($23 million) for students of color pursuing careers in primary care, particularly among underserved communities. In addition, Foundation grants enable partnerships with community health leaders making progress on the nation’s most crucial challenges, including maternal health, veterans’ health and adolescent mental health.
Healthy People 2030 Champion is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Used with permission. Participation by United Health Foundation does not imply endorsement by HHS/ODPHP.