The United Health Foundation recently released the 30th edition of its America’s Health Rankings Annual Report, which represents the longest-running state-by-state analysis of the nation’s health.
It’s mixed news for Maryland in 2019, as the state finished 18th healthiest overall out of the 50 states.
Here’s more information on how Maryland ranked across the five model categories that determined the overall ranking.
- Behaviors: 8th
- Community & Environment: 22nd
- Policy: 10th
- Clinical Care: 13th
- Health Outcomes: 18th
The overall ranking for Maryland moved up one position from the 2018 report. Additionally, the state has seen steady improvement in ranking overall throughout the past 30 years.
- 2010 Ranking: 21st
- 2000 Ranking: 24th
- 1990 Ranking: 31st
Since 2012, excessive drinking and smoking decreased by double digits across the state. In the past two years, mental health providers increased 17 percent from 219.3 to 257.4 per 100,000 population, according to the study.
Challenges the state still faces include: