How healthy is the United States? This question has dominated the minds of many health experts and researchers for several years. Given the diversity and vastness of the United States, it is not easy to determine the health status of the population. A number of parameters and health measures have to be evaluated before estimating the health status of any society. Based on available date from the above variables, I would say that the health ranking of the United States is a B. although, some states are highly ranked in some health determinants than others, overall, the entire United states health status is ranked at a B. The following analysis of health determinants as recommended to by the United Nation will justify my position.
To begin with, the rate of per capita public health funding is slightly above average in most status. Most states in America spend a huge junk of their resources on funding health programs. Barr, (2008), asserts that some states like Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut have committed vast resources to public health issues. On the other hand, some states are still lucking behind in this field. For instance, the rate of public funding in Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma is below average. These states still experience low rate of the uninsured population, low rate of high school graduation and unavailability of primary care physicians.
Further analysis reveal that even in states with superior scores in most health determinants, this states are still grappling with issues of low rate of immunization coverage, and high rate of occupational fatalities. In summary, an evaluation of the combined health determinants in the Unites States ranks the country at a B. These include the rate of high school graduation, rate of usage of early prenatal care and the rate of access to health care. According to Shi, & Stevens, (2011), most states have enacted policies and legislation to bolster the health status of their citizens, but further action is needed to enable the country attain the United Nations health recommendations.