United Health Foundation release of America’s Health Rankings 2023 Annual Report, shows eight chronic conditions have reached the highest prevalence in the report’s history. These include arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression, and diabetes.
The report, produced in partnership with the American Public Health Association, provides the longest running state-by-state analysis of the nation’s health, providing a comprehensive look at the health of Americans across 87 measures of health from 28 data sources. The report found that between 2021 and 2022, for example, depression rates grew to 21.7%, impacting close to 54.2 million people. Similarly, prevalence of diabetes rose to 11.5%, or 31.9 million adults. The report also examines disparities, finding, for example, that emergency room visits caused by asthma were 2.5 higher among Black adults compared to white adults, that diabetic Black and Hispanic adults were also less likely than white adults to have their A1c levels under control, and that depression rates were 2.4 times higher among LGBTQ+ people compared to straight people.