Trailing only Mississippi, Louisiana ranks as the second-least-healthiest state in the nation, according to United Health Foundation’s annual America Health Rankings report released today.
Ranked 49th overall, Louisiana has a prevalence of smoking, obesity and children in poverty, making it especially hard for the state to rise from the bottom of the list. The state is last in the categories of behaviors and community and environment conditions. It’s 38th in policy, 49th in clinical care and 43rd in health outcomes.
In its 28th year, the ranking evaluates 35 core measures across five categories—behaviors, community and environmental conditions, policies, clinical care and outcomes—to provide a holistic picture of Americans health at the national and state levels.
Nationally, the report reveals that Americans, in general, are facing serious health challenges regarding premature deaths among adults, which increased by 3%; drug deaths, up 7%; and cardiovascular deaths rising by 2%.
Mortality rates are increasing in many states—including those ranked as the healthiest overall like Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Louisiana’s rate of drug deaths increased from 13.7 to 17.7 deaths-per-100,000 over the past five years even though cancer and cardiovascular deaths declined during the same period.
Massachusetts is the healthiest state followed by Hawaii, Vermont, Utah and Connecticut rank. Along with Louisiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi are among the five least healthiest.
