Illinois Not Among Healthiest States

An annual ranking released by the United Health Group ranks the healthiest states for 2017. Illinois falls almost smack dab in the middle of the list. The rankings place the Prairie State as the 27th healthiest state in the country, a drop in the rankings from the previous year.

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.

According to the report, the premature death rate (death before the age of 75) increased for the third straight year in the United States. 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:

1. Massachusetts
2. Hawaii
3. Vermont
4. Utah
5. Connecticut

The states that rank at the bottom of the report are:

1. West Virginia
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Louisiana
5. Mississippi

According to the report, Illinois fell one spot in the rankings compared to 2016, when it came in at No. 26. The state ranks 36th for senior health and 21st for the health of women and children.

Some of Illinois' strengths highlighted in the report are low prevalence of "frequent mental distress," a high number of primary care physicians and a high number of dentists. Some of the challenges the state faces are a high level of air pollution, high prevalence of excessive drinking and high preventable hospitalization rate.

In the past five years, the rate of obesity among adults in Illinois increased 17 percent, from 27.1 percent to 31.6 percent. Violent crime also increased over the past two years, rising 15 percent from 380 to 436 offenses per 100,000 people.

However, smoking has decreased 24 percent over the past five years, with 15.8 percent of adults smoking compared with 20.9 percent. The percentage of uninsured people decreased by more than half, falling to 6.8 percent of the population compared with 14.8 percent five years ago.

The state ranks 12th in the country when it comes to dentists per 100,000 population. Illinois ranked 28th when it came to the number of mental health providers and 10th for the number of primary care physicians.

Click here for the full 2017 America's Health Rankings report.

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