When it comes to improving health, I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and that, as Maya Angelou says, when you know better, you do better. That’s why I was so excited to learn that United Health Foundation has once again been recognized with a Web Health Award for the America’s Health Rankings® website. This recognition is validation that we are fulfilling one of our most important goals, which is simplifying complex health and wellness data and making it as informative and actionable as possible.
One of the things I love most about America’s Health Rankings is that it gives everybody an opportunity to think about population health and to experiment with data and epidemiology. The main report, which we launch each December with our partners American Public Health Association (APHA) and Partnership for Prevention, is a critical piece of our effort—but it is not enough. More and more, we are leveraging online resources to bring the Rankings to life, making them more interactive, more informative and more fun.
Our Take Action Resource Library is a great example of how we are making the most of interactive technology. You can use the information and tools in the Take Action Resource Library to create change within your family, company and community. Whether you are a civic leader, an educator, an employer, a health professional or a concerned individual, you can utilize the tools within the library to organize a walking wellness initiative, advocate for nutritious school meals or build a coalition to address tobacco use in your state. The opportunities for you to get involved are countless.
In The Rankings section of our website, we have worked to make data increasingly interactive, customizable and shareable. Visitors can easily access state-specific information, compare rankings across years and geographies and export fact sheets and charts to help educate others.
The Reports and Commentaries portion of the website provides in-depth trend reports, state summaries and commentaries relating to health issues that affect Americans. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A., shares her piece The Prevention Imperative: Protecting the Health and Well-Being of America’s Families and CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., discusses the importance of understanding health challenges and taking responsibility in Information is Power. Our website enables you to read these and other material and share them with your friends and family via social media.
Speaking of social media, I hope you will consider liking America’s Health Rankings on Facebook and following us on Twitter. We post regular updates on both sites and are always interested in cultivating dialogue and getting feedback. If you are interested in keeping up with me and my thoughts, I hope you will consider following me on Twitter, @DrReedTuckson.
The continued evolution of communication technology provides a critical opportunity to make data easier to access and understand. We at America’s Health Rankings are, of course, proud of this most recent recognition but know the ultimate determinant of success will be if people like you find our resources valuable in promoting lasting health improvements in your communities.