America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation Logo
Data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Unless otherwise indicated, this report mainly features data from 2019-2020, and tracks progress since the baseline reporting period, 2011-2012.

Behaviors

Excessive Drinking

Percentage of adults who reported either binge drinking (four or more [women] or five or more [men] alcoholic beverages on a single occasion in the past 30 days) or chronic drinking (eight or more [women] or 15 or more [men] alcoholic beverages per week).
BRFSS

Insufficient Sleep

Percentage of adults who reported sleeping, on average, fewer than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
BRFSS (2020)

Physical Inactivity

Percentage of adults who reported doing no physical activity or exercise other than their regular job in the past 30 days.
BRFSS

Smoking

Percentage of adults who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke daily or some days.
BRFSS

Smokeless Tobacco Use

Percentage of adults who use chewing tobacco, snuff or snus every day or some days.
BRFSS

Opioid Misuse

Percentage of adults who used heroin or misused prescription pain relievers in the past year. Misuse of prescription pain relievers is defined as use in any way not directed by a doctor, including use without a prescription of one’s own medication, use in greater amounts, more often, or longer than told to take a drug or use in any other way not directed by a doctor.
NSDUH

Social & Economic Factors

Avoided Care due to Cost

Percentage of adults who reported a time in the past 12 months when they needed to visit a doctor but could not because of cost.
BRFSS

Health Insurance

Percentage of adults who have health insurance privately, through their employer or through the government.
BRFSS

Employment

Percentage of adults who are in the workforce and are either employed for wages or self-employed.
BRFSS

Food Insecurity

Percentage of adults who reported not having sufficient money to eat when and what they should or being concerned that food would run out before they have money to buy more in the past 30 days.
BRFSS

Clinical Care

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Percentage of respondents ages 50-75 years who reported receiving recommended colorectal cancer screening using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
BRFSS (2020)

Dedicated Health Care Provider

Percentage of adults who reported having one or more people they think of as their personal doctor or health care provider.
BRFSS

Dental Visit

Percentage of adults who reported visiting the dentist or dental clinic within the past year for any reason.
BRFSS (2020)

Flu Vaccination

Percentage of adults who reported receiving a flu vaccine in the past 12 months.
BRFSS (2020)

Mental Health Treatment

Percentage of adults experiencing mental illness in the past year who reported receiving any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including inpatient care (such as hospital or residential treatment), outpatient care (such as therapy from a clinician [e.g., doctor, psychologist, counselor, social worker], outpatient clinic, partial-day hospital stay or day treatment program) or taking any prescription medications prescribed to treat a mental or emotional condition; treatment for alcohol or drug use is not included.
NSDUH

Health Outcomes

Able-bodied

Percentage of adults ages 18 and older with no cognitive, visual, auditory, ambulatory, self-care or independent living difficulties. Not age-adjusted.
  • Ambulatory: Having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
  • Auditory/Hearing: Deaf or having serious difficulty hearing.
  • Cognitive: Because of a physical, mental or emotional problem, having difficulty remembering, concentrating or making decisions.
  • Self-Care: Having difficulty bathing or dressing.
  • Independent Living: Because of a physical, mental or emotional problem, having difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping.
  • Visual: Blind or having serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.
ACS (2019)

Any Mental Illness

Percentage of adults who reported having serious, moderate or mild mental illness in the past year.
BRFSS

Arthritis

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they have some form of arthritis.
BRFSS

Cancer

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they had any form of cancer, skin or otherwise.
BRFSS

Cardiovascular Disease

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease; a heart attack or myocardial infarction; or a stroke.
BRFSS

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
BRFSS

Chronic Pain

Percentage of adults who reported having pain most days or every day in the past three months.
NHIS

Depression

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they have a depressive disorder including depression, major depression, minor depression or dysthymia.
BRFSS

Diabetes

Percentage of adults who reported being told by a health professional that they have diabetes (excluding prediabetes and gestational diabetes).
BRFSS

Frequent Mental Distress

Percentage of adults who reported their mental health was not good 14 or more days in the past 30 days.
BRFSS

High Health Status

Percentage of adults who reported that their health is very good or excellent.
BRFSS

Obesity

Percentage of adults with a body mass index of 30.0 or higher based on reported weight and height.
BRFSS

Suicide Attempts

Percentage of adults with suicidal thoughts who tried to kill themselves in the past year.
NSDUH

Suicidal Thoughts

Percentage of adults who reported seriously thinking about killing themselves in the past year.
NSDUH

Teeth Extractions

Percentage of adults who reported having six or more permanent teeth extracted due to tooth decay or gum disease.
BRFSS (2020)