Massachusetts The Healthiest State In America: Study

Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the nation, according to the United Health Foundation's 2017 America's Health Rankings report. The Bay State snagged the top spot for the first time in the report's history, steadily moving up from No. 11 in 1990 and ending Hawaii's five-year run as the healthiest state.

The United Health Foundation scored states based on 35 factors covering behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes data. Its report highlighted Massachusetts' lowest percentage of uninsured residents at 2.7 percent, the low prevalence of obesity and a high number of mental health providers (547.3 per 100,000 residents).

The state has also reduced smoking prevalence by 25 percent in the past five years – from 18.2 percent of adults in 2012 to 13.6 percent in 2017 – and lowered its poverty rate among children from 17.6 percent to 11 percent over two years, according to the report.

Below are the top 10 healthiest states in America, according to the United Health Foundation:

1. Massachusetts
2. Hawaii
3. Vermont
4. Utah
5. Connecticut
6. Minnesota
7. Colorado
8. New Hampshire
9. Washington
10. New York

So what do we need to work on? The report says Massachusetts is "challenged by a high preventable hospitalization rate, high drug death rate and large disparities in health status by educational attainment."

In fact, the drug death rate has seen a notable increase over the past five years, coinciding with the rise of opioids as a public health crisis. Massachusetts is among three northeastern states that regularly rank among the healthiest to experience such a jump, the report states. Since 2012, the drug death rate has increased by 69 percent; that accounts for an additional 8.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.

New Hampshire and Rhode Island saw their rates increase by 118 percent and 56 percent, respectively. That mirrors a nationwide trend that saw drug deaths increase by 7 percent, the highest recorded by America's Health Rankings. Total premature deaths also rose for the third consecutive year after a 20 percent decline from 1990-2015.

Nationwide, states are addressing health crises such as drug deaths, smoking, obesity and diabetes with varying degrees of success. Additionally, there is a discrepancy in the number of primary care physicians, dentists and mental health providers by state.

Also Watch: The Healthiest and Unhealthiest States In America

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

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