Vermont as the Nation’s Healthiest State

Louisiana Moves to Last Place

LAWRENCE, KS. Vermont has roared back and once again is the nation’s Healthiest State. The 13th annual award was announced in Health Care State Rankings 2005, a reference book of state health statistics published by Morgan Quitno Press of Lawrence, Kansas. Vermont previously had earned the Healthiest State honor in 2001, 2002 and 2003, but slipped to second place in 2004. At the opposite end of the rankings scale, Louisiana staged an upset, moving to last place over Mississippi, which had held the #50 ranking for five consecutive years.

“Vermont is a health care success story,” said Scott Morgan, president of Morgan Quitno Press. “Its citizens are insured and have good access to primary health care providers. The state’s infant mortality and teen birth rates are among the lowest in the nation. Vermont shines in so many of the health care indicators considered for our study.”

The 13th annual Healthiest State Award is based on 21 health-related factors from Health Care State Rankings 2005, an annual reference book that compares the 50 United States in more than 500 health care categories. Factors considered include infant mortality rates, the percent of population not covered by health insurance, per capita expenditures for health care, percent of population lacking access to primary medical care, childhood immunization rates, and percent of adults who smoke.

"Our award reflects which states’ citizens have the best access to health care providers, affordable health care services and a generally healthy population," Morgan said.

Following Vermont were last year’s winner New Hampshire in second place, Massachusetts in third, Minnesota in fourth and Maine in fifth. Bringing up the end of the rankings scale were Louisiana in last place, Mississippi in 49th, New Mexico in 48th, Nevada in 47th and Oklahoma in 46th place.

The Healthiest State Award is one of six designations announced annually by Morgan Quitno Press in conjunction with the publication of its annual reference books. These other annual awards name the nation’s Safest City and Metro Area (based on data from City Crime Rankings), the Most Livable State (based on data from State Rankings), the Safest and Most Dangerous States (based on data from Crime State Rankings), the Smartest State (based on data from Education State Rankings), and the Most Improved State (based on data from State Trends.)

Additional information about the 2005 Healthiest State Award, including rankings for all 50 states, a list of factors used to determine the results and an explanation of methodology, is available directly from Morgan Quitno Press at www.statestats.com or by calling (785) 841-3534.

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