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Health Rankings by state
The UnitedHealth Foundation completed a
2005 study called "Americas Health Rankings" that among
other things measured the various risk factors that
contribute to the healthiness of each state.
2005 Results
Minnesota
is at the top of the list of healthiest states and has been
among the top two healthiest states since 1990.
Vermont
ranked second this year followed by
New
Hampshire,
Utah,
Hawaii and
North
Dakota.
Mississippi finished 50th and the least healthy state,
while
Louisiana was 49th.
Tennessee,
South
Carolina and
Arkansas
complete the bottom five states.
Minnesota’s strengths include ranking first for a low rate
of cardiovascular deaths, a low premature death rate and a
low percentage of uninsured population. It is also in the
top five states for a low percentage of children in poverty,
a low total mortality rate, a low infant mortality rate, a
low occupational fatalities rate, a low rate of motor
vehicle deaths and a high rate of high school graduation.
Mississippi is 50th this year, down from
49th in 2004. Mississippi has been in the bottom three
states since the 1990 Edition. The state ranks well in all
three health policy measures: (access to adequate prenatal
care, per capita public health spending and immunization
coverage. It ranks in the bottom five states on nine of the
18 measures: a high premature death rate, a high infant
mortality rate, a high total mortality rate, a high rate of
cardiovascular deaths, a high percentage of children in
poverty, a high prevalence of obesity, a high rate of motor
vehicle deaths, a high occupational fatalities rate, and a
high number of limited activity days. It also ranks in the
bottom 10 states for two other measures.
"lack of health insurance" is one of the risk factors
that contribute to a state's healthiness factor. See
how the states rank regarding adults
without health
insurance coverage. |
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