Data Graphics

In May, HPIO released the fifth edition of its biennial Health Value Dashboard. The 2023 Dashboard found that Ohio ranks 44th in the nation in health value, a combination of population health and healthcare spending. This means that Ohioans are less healthy and spend more on health care than people in most other states.

The Dashboard identified specific areas of strength on which Ohio can build to create opportunities for improved health value in the state. One of those areas is strengthening Ohio’s workforce and reducing poverty by building upon recent success in attracting employers in high-growth industries.

Ohio’s workforce is facing serious challenges. As illustrated below, deaths among working-age Ohioans have increased over the last 15 years as labor force participation continues its long-term decline, with Ohio falling behind most other states (For more information, see HPIO’s updated data snapshot “Death Trends among Working-age Ohioans”).

However, the state’s strong manufacturing base, strategic location and educational infrastructure has attracted major employers, such as Intel, Honda, Ford and LG Energy Solutions, to invest in the state in the past few years. Ohio is home to 200 corporate headquarters, 14 public universities and 23 community colleges. Further building upon these strengths can lead to a robust workforce that meets the needs of employers, re-invigorates local communities and increase earnings, which will, in turn, reduce poverty and improve health.

Analysis from Healthy Democracy Healthy People (HDHP), a nonpartisan initiative of national public health and civic engagement organizations, has found a two-way relationship between voting and community health.

“When we’re healthier, we’re more likely to vote. And communities that vote experience better health,” according to HDHP.

HDHP has developed a Health and Democracy Index, which compares public health indicators and voter turnout to restrictiveness of state voting policies. The analysis found that states with more inclusive voting policies and greater levels of civic participation tend to be healthier.

As illustrated above, the Index places Ohio among a group of states with worse health outcomes than other states and also more restrictive voting policies.

“Democracy makes our communities more inclusive and healthier,” according to HDHP. “Our votes affect health policy, clean air, housing, transit and funding for hospitals. Voting also helps people secure a seat at the table and feel more included within their communities.

As Ohioans prepare for the Nov. 7 election, HPIO has created online resource pages for State Issue 1 and State Issue 2.

• State Issue 1 would amend the Ohio Constitution to establish a state constitutional right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions,” including decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care and continuing pregnancy.
• State Issue 2 would change Ohio law to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and above.

In keeping with its status as an independent and nonpartisan organization, HPIO regularly creates resource pages to make information on the health impact of relevant statewide ballot issues easily accessible to voters.

To learn more about voting in Ohio, visit voteohio.gov.

HPIO has released a new Data Snapshot that highlights the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Ohio, displays differences in exposure to ACEs for groups of Ohioans and shows how ACEs connect to poor health outcomes.

Exposure to ACEs — potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood — is a pervasive problem affecting many children in Ohio and across the country. ACEs exposure contributes to poor health and well-being throughout life, including disrupted neurodevelopment, social and emotional challenges, disease, disability and premature death.

In 2021, nearly two thirds of Ohio adults reported having been exposed to ACEs, and nearly half of all adults reported being exposed to two or more ACEs, as illustrated above.

Starting in 2020, HPIO released a series of policy briefs on the health and economic impacts of ACEs and elevated 12 evidence-informed, cost-effects strategies (program, policies and practices) that can prevent ACEs.

Last week, HPIO release a new data snapshot, “Updated Death Trends among Working-age Ohioans,” that found that the number of annual deaths among working-age Ohioans increased 32% from 2007 to 2022, from 25,885 to 34,146.

The analysis also found that unintentional injuries, including unintentional drug overdoses and motor vehicle crashes, increased the most from 2007 to 2022 among the leading causes of death, as illustrated above. Cancer is the only leading cause of death that decreased since 2007 for this age group.

“These mostly preventable deaths have a tremendous impact on Ohio families, communities and society,” according to the data snapshot. “In addition, the loss of a large number of working-age adults negatively affects Ohio’s economy and businesses.”

Updated analysis from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio found that working-age Ohioans are dying at a much higher rate than they were 15 years ago, despite a drop in deaths in 2022 as the state emerged from the pandemic.

The analysis, which is compiled in a new data snapshot, “Death Trends among Working-age Ohioans,” found that the number of deaths among working-age Ohioans increased 32% from 2007 to 2022, from 25,885 to 34,146. If the annual number of deaths had remained constant since 2007, 66,637 fewer working-age Ohioans would have died.

“These mostly preventable deaths have a tremendous impact on Ohio families, communities and society,” according to the data snapshot. “In addition, the loss of a large number of working-age adults negatively affects Ohio’s economy and businesses.”

The leading cause of death for working-age adults remains unintentional injuries, which included unintentional drug overdoses and motor vehicle crashes.

“Unintentional drug overdose deaths continue to play a major role in Ohio’s increased death rate, accounting for 14% of all deaths among Ohioans ages 15-64 in 2022,” the analysis found.

The analysis concludes that “There are many effective strategies to address substance use, promote mental health and support access to healthy food and physical activity, all of which can help reduce deaths among working-age Ohioans… Public and private partners can work together to ensure more Ohio workers have the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.”

Consistent with national research findings and previous HPIO work, new analysis from the Institute finds that Ohioans who reported experiencing more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were also more likely to report negative outcomes that contribute to poor health. For example, as illustrated above, the percent of Ohioans who were exposed to two or more ACEs were almost twice as likely to smoke (23%) as those exposed to no ACEs (13%). Similarly, the percent of Ohioans with depression who were exposed to two or more ACEs (34%) was more than three times higher than Ohioans with depression who reported no ACEs (11%).

Exposure to ACEs affects many children in Ohio and across the country. National data and analysis provide clear evidence that ACEs exposure is linked to poor health and well-being through adulthood, including disrupted neurodevelopment, social problems, disease, disability and premature death. In addition, ACEs exposure has severe long-term cost implications at the individual and societal levels, including increased medical, child welfare, criminal justice and special education expenditures. However, the negative effects of ACEs can be mitigated. HPIO has presented 12 key strategies to intervene early and prevent the poor health outcomes associated with ACEs.

Click here to learn more about HPIO’s Ohio ACEs Impact project