R.I. 15th among states for overall health

AMERICA'S HEALTH RANKINGS put the Ocean State at No. 15 among states for overall health in its annual survey. / COURTESY UNITEDHEALTH FOUNDATION
AMERICA'S HEALTH RANKINGS put the Ocean State at No. 15 among states for overall health in its annual survey. / COURTESY UNITEDHEALTH FOUNDATION

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island ranked 15th among states in overall health in America’s Health Rankings.

The Ocean State moved up four spots from last year, according to the annual survey which is in its 25th year and is published by the United Health Foundation.

The report highlighted Rhode Island’s strengths and challenges. Strengths include high immunization rates for children and teens, and availability of primary care physicians, but challenges include numerous drug deaths, a low number of teens graduating high school and a high percentage of children living in poverty.

Rhode Island ranked first in immunization for children between the ages of 19 and 35 months and teens ages 13 to 17. It also ranked third for availability of primary care physicians, and ranked eighth in public health funding and ninth in infectious disease.

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It also saw improvement in other areas over the past year, enabling it to climb in the rankings. Preventable hospitalizations decreased 14 percent from 70.3 to 60.4 per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries, although the state ranked 32nd in this category.

In the past year, salmonella declined 44 percent from 18.4 to 10.3 cases per 100,000 population, ranking the state eighth on this measure.
However, the report said only 76 percent of incoming ninth graders will graduate high school, ranking the state No. 42 in this category. Rhode Island ranked No. 24 in low birth weight, an indicator of infant health.

And since 1990, the number of children living in poverty increased 98 percent from 11.7 percent to 23.2 percent, ranking Rhode Island No. 37 on this measure.
The state also ranked No. 36 in binge drinking and No. 41 in drug deaths.

“For the last 25 years, United Health Foundation’s annual America’s Health Rankings has provided an invaluable look at the challenges and opportunities facing Rhode Island and how the picture of health in our state compares with those of our region and our nation,” said Dr. Neal Galinko, medical director, UnitedHealthcare of New England. “We look forward to continuing to use the report as a key tool for identifying and implementing solutions to our most pressing challenges and measuring the strides we’ve made to date.”

Hawaii has again taken the title of healthiest state. Vermont came in second, followed by Massachusetts, which improved to third after being ranked fourth for two years. Connecticut came in fourth, rising three slots from last year. Mississippi ranked 50th this year, preceded by Arkansas (49), Louisiana (48), Kentucky (47) and Oklahoma (46).

The report found that life expectancy has reach a record high in the country – 78.8 years, and that smoking rates have declined. Since 1990, smoking rates have decreased 36 percent, from 29.5 percent to 19 percent of adults. But obesity rates have more than doubled over the last 25 years, from 11.6 percent of adults in 1990 to 29.4 percent of adults today. Levels of physical inactivity remain high, with 23.5 percent of adults reporting no physical activity or exercise in the last 30 days, the report said.

To view the report, click HERE.

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