Which is the healthiest state in the country in 2017?

The United Health Foundation just released the 2017 America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report, This is the longest-running annual assessment of the nation’s health which is on a state-by-state basis. For 28 years, the report has analyzed a comprehensive set of behaviors, community and environmental conditions, policies, as well as clinical care and outcomes data to provide a holistic view of the nation’s health.

Massachusetts was awarded the title of the 'Healthiest State,' Hawaii, which has been holding the title for five years straight up until last year, fell to number two in the rankings. The bottom spot went to Mississippi.

The 2017 America’s Health Rankings Annual Report reveals distressing increases in mortality measures. In the past year, the premature death rate increased again. Since 2015, the premature death rate increased 3 percent or the equivalent of 217 years lost before age 75 per 100,000. The drug death rate continued its upward trend, increasing 7 percent to 15.0 deaths per 100,000

in the past year, a new high. The report also highlights that the number of health care providers per state varies greatly and primary care physicians, mental health providers and dentists are not equally represented within states. On a positive note, smoking prevalence, the rate of preventable hospitalizations and the percentage of the population without health insurance continue to fall. When reading the America’s Health Rankings Annual Report, it is important to read beyond the rankings. Every state has strengths and challenges. Additionally, each measure does not stand alone but is a strand in the web of health and everyday life of Americans. For example, a change for the good in physical inactivity could affect obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular deaths and other measures. America’s Health Rankings website, www. AmericasHealthRankings.org, allows users to read and download the report as well as study and analyze the data by state or by measure of interest