A comprehensive look at senior population health: America's health rankings senior report

Background: With the burgeoning senior population, advances in life expectancy, and rising rates of chronic diseases, taking a comprehensive look at the health and well-being of our nation's seniors is necessary to determine health priorities. Methods: A panel of experts in senior health identified 34 metrics from data sources that are uniformly collected and periodically updated in all 50 states. The metrics represent 5 components of health: 1) Behaviors, 2) Community & Environment (macro and micro), 3) Public & Health Policy, 4) Clinical Care and 5) Health Outcomes. States are ranked on each metric, and overall. Each metric is ranked according to value. In addition, a z-score is calculated for each measure. The overall ranking is based on a weighted z-score. Results: Minnesota ranked first as the healthiest state for seniors. Vermont is ranked second, followed by New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Iowa. Mississippi ranked 50th as the least healthy state for older adults. Oklahoma, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Arkansas complete the bottom 5 states. Nationally, 30.3 percent of seniors in fair or better health report being physically inactive and 25.3 percent are obese. On average, 9.3 percent of seniors live in poverty and 12.2 percent of nursing home residents are low-care. Discussion: By assessing the current status of senior health, communities, governments, individuals, families, and other organizations can build awareness of the breadth of issues facing our seniors—and, by extension, our communities—and learn where and how to take action to improve the health of our current and future seniors.