The 2009 Edition of America`s Health RankingsTM is considered a benchmark of the relative health of states due to its longevity and its sound model. Numerous states incorporate this report into their annual review of programs, and several organizations use this study as a reference point when assigning goals for health improvement programs.

One of the major goals of this report is to continuously improve. Along this line, the underlying methodology used to calculate the final score and rank of each state has been substantially changed this year. Prior editions calculated the final score using a weighted average of the percent each state varied from the nation. This edition calculated the final score using a weighted average of number of standard deviations that a state is different than the nation.

The effect of this change is that the final score is much more representative of the real variation of the state from the nation. It reduces the effect of measures that are widely scattered among states and highlights where the state statistically differs from the nation as a whole. See the Methodology section for additional information.

The 20th Anniversary Edition of America`s Health RankingsTM uses this improved methodology to calculate state ranks. Rankings from prior editions have been restated to reflect this improved process and are available by State and by Measure. Rankings presented in prior print editions cannot be compared to rankings in this release.

2009 Results 

2008 Results

Determinants and Outcomes