United Health Foundation Releases America's Health Rankings 2020 Annual Report
This year’s America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report showcases meaningful progress on key health markers. They include pre-pandemic improvements in the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions, rates of Americans receiving recommended vaccinations and the supply of mental health care providers. The report also identifies challenges, such as the growing number of Americans facing obesity and frequent mental distress. This year’s report includes data that predates the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and does not assign overall state rankings.
For 31 years, America’s Health Rankings has created increased awareness and action to address important trends in public health. Today, the United Health Foundation released the America’s Health Rankings 2020 Annual Report, which provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of the nation’s health on a state-by-state basis. The report was developed in partnership with the American Public Health Association.
“The issues we are seeing in this year’s report will be compounded further by the current COVID-19 pandemic. For years to follow, we expect that COVID-19 will impact almost every health and socioeconomic measure included in this report,” said Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual and advisor to America’s Health Rankings. “Having year-over-year trends is critical during a public health crisis, something that a record number of users are finding given the significant increased traffic to the America’s Health Rankings website. Making this data available is incredibly important so that a comprehensive view of our nation’s health can be taken into context during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In recognition of the current-day public health challenges amid a pandemic, America’s Health Rankings has identified the measures from across the platform that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified as COVID-19 risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness. As the country continues to face significant and unprecedented health challenges due to the pandemic, America’s Health Rankings will not include a state’s overall ranking in this year’s Annual Report. The report will continue to equip health leaders with data and insights that inform priorities as they manage public health work during 2021 and beyond.
“The America’s Health Rankings 2020 Annual Report paints a picture of the nation’s ongoing public health successes and challenges as well as a deeper understanding of the nation’s health at the outset of the global COVID-19 pandemic,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We hope this report inspires proactive solutions about effective ways to improve the health of everyone within our communities as we navigate the evolving pandemic and head into the next decade.”
Key Strengths and Challenges At a Glance
Click here for a map to explore highlights in each state.
America’s Health Rankings 2020 Annual Report
America’s Health Rankings, in partnership with the American Public Health Association, collaborated with an advisory group of leading experts in health to develop the 2020 Annual Report. The Annual Report provides a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s health and on a state-by-state basis. The report includes 74 measures of health that are used to highlight current and emerging issues affecting the nation.
