The US has a high degree of life expectancy and quality, depending on the location where a person resides. The state differences in health outcomes are also significant and mostly associated with lifestyle, health-care services, income of a person, and policies in the state. It is not only that the gap between the healthiest and the worst states is shocking, it is also a nine-year gap in life expectancy that speaks volumes.
New Hampshire Is The Healthiest State in America
The fact that New Hampshire has the lowest food insecurity rates, the lowest homicide rates, and the highest rates of high school completion and exercise among the state’s citizens makes this state the healthiest in the US.
The State of Massachusetts follows closely behind
Massachusetts has a consistently high ranking on all major health rankings due to the fact that the state is home to world-renowned medical schools and hospitals, high rates of health insurance coverage, low rates of obesity, and high average household incomes.
Vermont’s Healthy Living
The best of older adults and healthy living in Vermont. The community support programs are very strong, and the state has a low rate of diabetes of seven point seven percent.
Utah’s Active Lifestyle Wins
The smoking rate in Utah is the lowest among all the states (six point nine percent), and almost all adults claim to exercise regularly. A direct factor that contributes to health improvement in the long term is outdoor active living.
Hawaii Lives Longest
Hawaii has the longest life expectancy of eighty years and has the lowest all-cause death rate. It also possesses the fewest physically and mentally unhealthy days as compared to any other state.
West Virginia Is The Sickest
West Virginia has the lowest in terms of life expectancy (72.2 years), is the highest in terms of obesity rate (41.5%), and the highest per 100,000 drug-related death rate.
The Long-Term Problems of Louisiana
This has been attributed in part to high food insecurity rates, low physical activity rates, and low health outcome scores that have caused Louisiana to be ranked as one of the unhealthiest states in the nation in the past four years.
The Deaths of Mississippi
All-cause mortality rate of 9 hundred and ninety five per one hundred thousand people is sixty-nine percent higher than that of Hawaii, which is one of the highest health disparity ratios in the state.
Southern States are holding Tail
Along the South and Southwest, twelve of the fifteen most unhealthy states in the country are located – a national health disparity that has long existed in the region due to poverty, no health care, and higher levels of chronic disease.
More Money, Not Better Health
West Virginia spends more on the health of an individual (1200000-700000) than 45 other states, and has the lowest health per person in the country. Prevention cannot be answered by money.
