Released July 07, 2023
Analysis included in HPIO’s 2023 Health Value Dashboard shows the cyclical connection between health and economic conditions. Improved health of Ohioans leads to greater participation in the workforce and higher earnings, which increases opportunity for better health. As illustrated above, Ohio has experienced a 51% increase in deaths among working-age Ohioans from 2007 to 2021 and the state’s labor force participation has decreased 9% from 2007 to 2022.
The Dashboard found that Ohio can address the serious challenges facing its workforce by building upon the state’s strong manufacturing base, strategic location and educational infrastructure that has attracted recent investments from major employers, such as Intel, Honda, Ford and LG Energy Solutions.
“Further building upon these strengths — including 200 corporate headquarters, 14 public universities and 23 community colleges — can lead to a robust workforce that meets the needs of employers and reinvigorates local communities,” according to the Dashboard. “With strategic investments in vocational education and work supports, more Ohioans can join the labor force and increase their earnings, which will reduce poverty and improve health.”
More information on the topic is available in HPIO’s data snapshot Death Trends among Working-Age Ohioans.