Maryland Ranks Among Healthiest States

BALTIMORE, MD — An annual ranking released by the United Health Group ranks the healthiest states for 2017. Maryland places in the top 20 states on the list. The rankings place the state as the 16th healthiest state in the country, a move up two places 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, Maryland's place in the rankings moved up two place from 2016, when it was No. 18. The state ranks 14th for senior health and 23rd for the health of women and children.

Some of Maryland's strengths highlighted in the report are a low percentage of children in poverty, a low prevalence of smoking, and a low prevalence of frequent physical distress. Some of the challenges the state faces are a high violent crime rate, high levels of air pollution, and low Tdap immunization coverage among adolescents.

In the past five years, smoking decreased 28 percent from 19.1 percent to 13.7 percent of Maryland adults; in the past three years, drug deaths increased 45 percent from 12.2 to 17.7 deaths per 100,000 population in the state; and in the past five years, the percentage of uninsured dropped 52 percent from 13.3 percent to 6.4 percent of the Maryland population.

Also, in the past year, Maryland's premature death rate increased 4 percent from 6,836 to 7,113 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 population, while frequent physical distress decreased 15 percent in the last year from 11.2 percent to 9.5 percent of adults.

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

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