Although some states made some small gains in critical indicators for improving women’s health, the nation as a whole and most states are falling behind in their quest to meet national goals for women’s health, a comprehensive analysis of state policies and women’s health status finds. Released Oct. 17, Making the Grade on Women’s Health: A National and State-by-State Report Card is the fourth in a series of triennial reports to grade and rank each state based on 27 health status benchmarks developed largely using goals set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2010 initiative.
Making the Grade gives the nation an overall grade of “unsatisfactory.” No state receives an overall “satisfactory” grade for women’s health status, although three states receive a “satisfactory minus”--down from eight states that received a “satisfactory minus” in 2004. Vermont receives a “satisfactory minus” and ranks No. 1, followed by Minnesota and Massachusetts. Twelve states receive failing grades, up from six states that failed in 2004; Mississippi ranks last.
“The outlook for women’s health is nowhere near approaching the nation’s goals for 2010 set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People initiative,” said Michelle Berlin, MD, associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University. “The nation barely improved since our last report, meeting three out of 27 benchmarks graded in this report. Failing to meet these goals undermines not only the health and well-being of women, but the well-being of our country as well.”
