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Executive BriefIntroductionNational HighlightsFindingsHealth OutcomesSocial and Economic FactorsClinical CareBehaviorsState RankingsAppendixMeasures Table – WomenMeasures Table – ChildrenData Source DescriptionsMethodologyState Summaries
US Summary
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
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
US SummaryAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingThe United Health Foundation is proud to present the 2023 Health of Women and Children Report. Building on the America’s Health Rankings® platform’s longstanding commitment to better understand the comprehensive health and well-being of women of reproductive age and children, the report analyzes the latest data encompassing 122 measures from 34 distinct data sources.
This year’s Health of Women and Children Report finds several concerning trends and disparities in the health of these populations, while some measures improved.
- Maternal mortality increased 29% between 2014-2018 and 2017-2021. This rate was significantly higher among American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women than other racial/ethnic groups.
- The rate of drug deaths continued to rise among women, increasing 27% nationally from 2016-2018 and 2019-2021. This rise in drug deaths contributed to a 17% increase in injury deaths among women.
- Between 2016-2018 and 2019-2021, the number of injury deaths increased 11% among children — an increase of roughly 3,800 deaths.
- Despite a 10% increase in high health status among women — the percentage of women who reported that their health was very good or excellent — several mental and preventive health measures worsened. Frequent mental distress increased, and the number of women’s health providers decreased.
- While there were some positive trends like declining teen births and reduced vaping among high schoolers, the overall landscape of youth health showed setbacks in early childhood education and broad disparities.
- The healthiest states for women of reproductive age and children were Minnesota, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Hawaii. Mississippi had the most opportunity to improve, followed by Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia.