Introduction

The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

In addition to the contributions of our individual genetic predispositions to disease, health is the result of:  

• Our personal behaviors,
• The environment of the community in which we live,
• The public and health policies and practices of our government, and
• The clinical care we receive. 

These four aspects interact with each other in a complex web of cause and effect, much of which is just beginning to be fully understood.  Understanding these interactions is vital if we are to create the healthy outcomes we desire, including a long, disease-free, robust life for all individuals regardless of race, sex or socio-economic status.  This report focuses on these determinants and on the overall healthy outcomes we desire. 

America's Health Rankings™ combines individual measures of each of these determinants with the resultant health outcomes into one, comprehensive view of the health of a state.  It also discusses health determinants separately from health outcomes. 

America's Health Rankings™ employs a unique methodology, developed and periodically reviewed by a panel of leading public health scholars, which balances the contributions of various factors, such as smoking, binge drinking, high school graduation rates, children in poverty, access to care and incidence of preventable disease, to a community's health.  The report is based on data from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Commerce, Education and Labor; American Medical Association; Dartmouth Atlas Project; and the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Purpose

The ultimate purpose of America's Health Rankings™ is to stimulate action by individuals, communities, public health professionals, health industry employees and public administration and health officials to improve the health of the population of the United States.  We do this by promoting public conversation concerning health in our states, as well as providing information to facilitate citizen participation. We encourage participation in all elements: personal behaviors, community environment, clinical care, and public and health policies.  Each person individually, and in their capacity as an employee, employer, voter, community volunteer, health official or elected official, can contribute to the advancement of the healthiness of their state.  This information can be used to take action regardless of whether their state is first or 50^th.