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IntroductionThe Health of Tomorrow’s SeniorsFindingsTop and Bottom StatesChange in RankFuture PerspectiveCore MeasuresBehaviorsCommunity & Environment: MacroPolicyClinical CareOutcomesSupplemental MeasuresState Summaries
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
District of ColumbiaAppendixDescription of Core MeasuresDescription of Supplemental MeasuresMethodology2016 Model Development2016 Senior Health Advisory GroupThe TeamExecutive SummaryConclusionAmerica’s Health Rankings® Expansion
AlabamaAlaskaArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingDistrict of ColumbiaAppendixDescription of Core MeasuresDescription of Supplemental MeasuresMethodology2016 Model Development2016 Senior Health Advisory GroupThe TeamExecutive SummaryConclusionAmerica’s Health Rankings® ExpansionBehaviors
Smoking
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who are self-reported smokers (smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke every day or some days)
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Excessive Drinking
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report either binge drinking (having five or more [men] or four or more [women] drinks on one occasion in the last month) or chronic drinking (having more than two drinks [men] or more than one drink [women] per day)
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Obesity
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older estimated to be obese (body mass index [BMI] of 30.0 or higher) based on self-reported height and weight
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Underweight
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older with fair or better health status estimated to be underweight (BMI of 18.5 or less) based on self-reported height and weight
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Physical Inactivity
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older with fair or better health status who self-report doing no physical activity or exercise other than their regular job in the last 30 days
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Dental Visit
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report visiting the dentist or dental clinic within the past year for any reason
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Pain Management*
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older with arthritis who self-report arthritis or joint pain does not limit their usual activities
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013
Community & Environment: Macro
Poverty
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who live in households at or below 100% of the poverty threshold
Source: US Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2014
Volunteerism
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who report volunteering through or for an organization in the past 12 months
Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, 2012-2014
Nursing Home Quality
Percentage of certified nursing home beds rated 4- or 5-stars (2015 revised CMS definition)
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Nursing Home Compare, 2016
Community & Environment: Micro
Home-Delivered Meals
Number of persons served a home-delivered meal as a percentage of adults aged 65 and older living in poverty
Source: Numerator: Administration on Aging (AoA). State Program Reports, 2013; Denominator: US Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2013**
Food Insecurity
Percentage of adults aged 60 and older who faced the threat of hunger in the last 12 months
Source: National Foundation to End Senior Hunger. The State of Senior Hunger in America 2013: An Annual Report, April 2015
Community Support
Total expenditures captured by the Administration on Aging per adult aged 65 and older living in poverty
Source: Numerator: AoA. State Program Reports, 2013; Denominator: US Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2013**
Policy
Low-Care Nursing Home Residents
Percentage of nursing home residents who were low-care, according to the broad definition (no physical assistance required for late-loss activities of daily living)
Source: Brown University, Shaping Long Term Care in America Project, 2014
Prescription Drug Coverage
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who have a creditable prescription drug plan
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts, 2012
SNAP Reach
Number of adults aged 60 and older who participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a percentage of adults aged 60 and older living in poverty
Source: Numerator: US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 2014; Denominator: US Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2014**
Geriatrician Shortfall*
Percentage of geriatricians required to meet estimated need
Source: The American Geriatrics Society, 2015
Clinical Care
Dedicated Health Care Provider
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report having a personal doctor or health care provider
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Flu Vaccine
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report receiving a flu vaccine in the last year
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Health Screenings
Percentage of adults aged 65 to 74 who self-report having a mammogram and/or fecal occult/colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy screens within the recommended time period
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Recommended Hospital Care
Percentage of hospitalized patients aged 65 and older who received the recommended care for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical procedures
Source: Improving Healthcare for the Common Good. WhyNotTheBest.org, March 1, 2016 (based on data from Q1/2014-Q4/2014)
Diabetes Management
Percentage of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 to 75 with diabetes receiving a blood lipids test
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Home Health Care
Number of personal care and home health aides per 1,000 adults aged 75 and older
Source: Numerator: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015; Denominator: US Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2014
Preventable Hospitalizations
Number of discharges for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Hospital Readmissions
Percentage of patients aged 65 and older who were readmitted within 30 days of discharge
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Hospice care
Percentage of decedents aged 65 and older who were enrolled in hospice during the last 6 months of life after diagnosis of condition with high probability of death
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Hospital Deaths
Percentage of decedents aged 65 and older who died in a hospital
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Outcomes
ICU Use
Percentage of decedents aged 65 and older spending 7 or more days in the intensive care or critical care unit during the last 6 months of life
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Hip Fracture
Rate of hospitalization for hip fracture per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries
Source: The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 2013
Falls
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report having had a fall in the past 12 months (2012 definition)
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Health Status
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report very good or excellent health
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Able-Bodied**
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older with no disability
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2014
Premature Death
Number of deaths per 100,000 adults aged 65 to 74
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics, 2014
Teeth Extractions
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report having had all teeth removed due to tooth decay or gum disease
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
Frequent Mental Distress
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who self-report their mental health was not good 14 or more days during the past 30 days
Source: CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014
* The data appearing in this edition are the same that appeared in the 2015 edition. An update was not available at the time of this publication.
** American Community Survey discontinued 3-year estimates; the data used in this edition are based on single-year data estimates.