Report: Ohio ranks 29th among states in overall health, shows signs for future improvement

United Health Foundation's annual America's Health Rankings has Ohio's overall health ranking falling from 25th to 29th even as Ohio is singled out as one of only two states showing a strong indication that health trends will improve over time. (Source: "Report: Ohioans obese, unhappy," Dayton Daily News, Nov. 6, 2007.) The report, available both in an online version and as a PDF download, states one of Ohio's main health strengths is a low rate of uninsurance at only 10.1% (placing Ohio at 8th in the nation, which has an average uninsured rate of 15.8% according to the report). Other Ohio strengths include "ready access to adequate prenatal care with 80.8% of pregnant women receiving adequate prenatal care and a high rate of high school graduation with 81.3% of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years." (Source:Ohio specific data, America's Health Rankings.) These and other positive indicators are why the report said Ohio's health trends should improve over time.

On the downside, last year also saw:

• The proportion of obese Ohio adults grow by more three percentage points, giving Ohio a rank of 43rd overall with 28.3 percent of adults at least 20 percent above healthy weight. That is a 40% increase in the state's obese adults since 2000.
• The number of poor mental health days per month--defined as "days that mental illness impeded someone's ability for work or household tasks"--increased from 3.3 to 4.0 days. The state ranks 45th overall, such that "psychiatric disorders limit two of every 15 Ohio employees' ability to function on a given day."
• African Americans in Ohio "experience 64% more premature death than whites. Deaths from cancer in the state are 25% more prevalent among blacks than whites. In the large metropolitan areas, residents in the central counties experience 24 percent more premature death than those in the fringe counties."
• Overall, Ohio ranked among the bottom 10 states for cancer death rate (43rd), infant mortality (41st), obesity and mental health.