An annual nationwide report ranks Connecticut the sixth healthiest state, a slight improvement from last year. There are concerns about increasing drug deaths and low public health spending per capita.
Connecticut had a ranking of .669. Hawaii topped the charts with a score of .892. Both are out of a possible score of 1. That was the fourth year in a row Hawaii was the healthiest state.
Among the reasons Connecticut scores well:
- High immunization among adolescents
- Low incidence of infectious disease
- Low premature death rate
Negative factors affecting Connecticut:
- High prevalence of excessive drinking
- Low per capita public health funding
- Large disparity in health status by education level
Other Connecticut highlights, according to the report:
- In the past year, drug deaths increased 19 percent from 11 to 13.1 per 100,000 population.
- In the past year, children in poverty decreased 20 percent from 15.3 percent to 12.3 percent of children.
- In the past two years, preventable hospitalizations decreased 16 percent from 59.8 to 50.1 per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
- In the past 20 years, cardiovascular deaths decreased 34 percent from 330.2 to 217.5 per 100,000 population.
- Since 1990, cancer deaths decreased 13 percent from 200.1 to 174.6 per 100,000 population.
According to the report, there are troubling increases in rates of U.S. drug deaths, diabetes, obesity, and children in poverty. In addition, the report said, premature death rates—an indicator of early death in a population—have plateaued; many early deaths are preventable through lifestyle modifications.
The U.S. also shows signs of short-term improvement with decreases in preventable
hospitalizations and physical inactivity, and with increases in immunization coverage among children and adolescents. There was also continued long-term improvement in less cigarette smoking, fewer cardiovascular deaths, and lower infant mortality.
First published in 1990, the annual report from United Healthcare and the American Public Health Association provides the longest-running state-by-state analysis of factors affecting the health of individuals and communities across the U.S..
