Florida Gets A Bit Healthier In National Rankings: Report

Florida ranked 32nd among the healthiest states in the nation, according to United Health Group’s 2017 rankings. The Sunshine State rose a few spots in the rankings as it was 36th in 2016. The state ranks 30th for senior health and 40th for the health of women and children.

The group’s annual “America’s Health Rankings” report published this month looks at 35 measures covering behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes data. The report’s executive summary says that the country is facing serious public health challenges, including rising rates of premature death and an uneven concentration of health care providers.

The report said the premature death rate (death before the age of 75) increased for the third straight year. 2017 also saw an increase in the rates of cardiovascular and drug deaths nationwide. The report also found a wide disparity in the concentration of both mental health providers and of primary care physicians and dentists in the country.

The healthiest states in the U.S. for 2017 are: Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, Utah and Connecticut. The states that rank at the bottom of the report are: West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

In Florida during the past year, drug deaths increased 7 percent from 13.2 to 14.1 deaths per 100,000 population after four years of continuous decline. The current rate is 15 percent below what it was in 2012.

In the past year in Florida, children in poverty decreased 23 percent from 24.4 percent to 18.7 percent of children.

In the past three years, cardiovascular deaths in Florida increased 3 percent from 223 to 229 deaths per 100,000 population. In the past five years, premature death decreased 6 percent from 7,893 to 7,412 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 population. In the past eight years, chlamydia increased 44 percent from 315.5 to 454.8 cases per 100,000 population

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Read the report here.

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