As Congress debates about how to pay for healthcare, America's Health Rankings points out the savings that could be made by encouraging healthy behavior.
The 2009 edition of America’s Health Rankings has been released. Produced jointly by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association (APHA), and Partnership for Prevention, the Rankings report has tracked the health of the nation for the past 20 years. The report provides data useful for health funders and nonprofits, and its findings are particularly salient as we as a nation look critically at the state of our healthcare system.
Overall the report finds that the United States is adept at treating illness in individuals once it develops. However, the report warns that steps need to be taken to encourage behaviors that are protective against illness such as healthy eating, regular exercise and smoking cessation.
Minnesota is ranked as the 6th healthiest state, a drop from 3rd place in the last Rankings report produced n 2008. The state scored among the top 10 states in 11 of 22 measures.
Strengths noted include the relatively low rate of premature death, deaths from cardiovascular disease, low infant mortality and a low rate of uninsured individuals. Challenges for the state include low public health funding at only $41 per person, and a moderate level of binge drinking at a rate of 17.2% of the population.
A more complete overview of Minnesota’s rankings can be found at the America’s Health Rankings website, or you can download the full report (pdf).
Minnesotan’s, on average, seem to do a pretty good job of getting off the couch throughout the year. Winter is a time for different forms of recreation, which is better than Houston’s summers where it’s time to avoid the swamp heat.