Our Work

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new data brief titled “Mental Health Conditions among Ohio Children and Youth.”

In recent years, rates of mental health conditions have increased among Ohio children and youth. As illustrated above, in 2023, a fifth (20%) of middle school students and a third (33%) of high school students in Ohio reported that their mental health was not good most or all of the time.

Childhood mental health conditions are associated with an increased risk of chronic physical health conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease), continuing mental health problems and worse employment outcomes in adulthood.

The brief states, "Understanding this data, and engaging children, youth and their parents and caregivers, can lay the foundation for action and policy change."

The data brief is the first in a series of four planned HPIO publications on child and youth mental health that will be released over the next two years.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and data from the AARP shows that in 2021 there were more than 1.4 million family caregivers in Ohio, the eighth most of any state in the country, as illustrated above.

In a report released last year, the AARP calculated the value of family caregivers in each state based on an average of 18 hours of care per week at an average value of $16.59 per hour. Using that formula, AARP estimates that the economic value of family caregivers in Ohio is more than $21 billion a year.

“Recognizing and supporting family caregivers is crucial to the health and economic and social well-being of both the caregivers themselves and the people who receive their care,” the report stated. “Family caregivers provide needed day-to-day supports and services and manage complex care tasks for adults with chronic, disabling, or serious health conditions.”

Data included in the latest edition of America’s Health Rankings shows that Ohio is one of the top 10 states in the U.S. for percentage of residents served by water systems that have fluoridated water. Fluoride is added to water as a proven public health measure to prevent tooth loss and decay and reduce cavities. It is also a naturally occurring mineral present in the Earth’s crust, and can be found in soil, water and many food products.

According to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 92.7% of Ohioans had access to fluoridated drinking water, compared to 72.7% in the U.S. overall. Ohio’s high percentage of residents served by fluoridated water is highlighted as one of the state’s strengths in 2023-2027 State Oral Health Plan.

Although Ohio ranks high for community water fluoridation, the state still faces challenges with overall oral health. In the 2024 Health Value Dashboard, Ohio ranked 39th for poor oral health, illustrating that water fluoridation is an important tool to improve oral health, but is not sufficient to address the challenges facing the state. The State Oral Health Plan lays out ways that state leaders can address barriers to oral health for Ohioans.