The UnitedHealth Foundation has awarded fourth place to Connecticut in its latest annual state ranking of overall health, down one slot from last year.
The state was bumped down as Vermont vaulted from fourth place to first place in this year’s “America’s Health Rankings.”
Connecticut lost ground in drug deaths per capita, excessive drinking, children in poverty, cases of chlamydia, low birth weights, and premature deaths.
Connecticut showed improvements in violent crime rates, adolescent immunizations, the number of mental health providers, and infant mortality.
The state has bounced around between third and seventh place for much of the past decade. It’s highest showing was second place, which it achieved in 2008 and 2006.
This year, the least healthy state in the ranking was Mississippi, which overtook Louisiana for last place from 2018.
