The United Health Foundation has established a methodology of ranking each state by various health factors. The methodology examines health determinant measures such as: the prevalence of smoking, motor vehicle deaths, obesity rates, rates of high school graduation, health insurance coverage, and measures of violent crime and poverty. Health outcome measures are also employed. These outcome variables include: infant mortality, poor mental health days, cancer deaths, and cardiovascular deaths. (To see all variables included in the health measure, click here).
According to the 2006 America’s Health Rankings just published, the healthiest states were Minnesota, Vermont and New Hampshire. The least healthy states were Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Complete results are available at the United Health Foundation website.