Report Reveals Highest And Lowest Ranking States For Women’s Health

A new report exploring health care access, quality and outcomes has ranked the highest and lowest performing states across the country.

The highest-rated states were Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island. The lowest-performing states were Mississippi, Texas, Nevada and Oklahoma.

The report, 2024 State Scorecard on Women’s Health and Reproductive Care, comes from researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation focused on health issues, and is comprised of data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention among other sources.

According to the report, deaths from all causes among women of reproductive age – 15 to 44 – were highest in southern states. The highest maternal death rates were in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, while the lowest maternal death rates were in Vermont, California and Connecticut.

Nationally, the report found rates of maternal death were highest for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women.

The survey measured a number of factors, including health outcomes through all-cause mortality, maternal and infant mortality, preterm births, postpartum depression and poor mental health, among others. The top performing states for health outcomes were Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut, while the lowest-performing states for health outcomes were Mississippi, Arkansas and West Virginia.

According to the report, states with the lowest rates of maternal mortality had more maternity care providers, fewer women with no prenatal care, fewer women with no postpartum checkups and fewer uninsured women ages 19-64.

Health care quality and prevention were measured in this report through births by cesarean section for low-risk pregnancies, preventive care use, prenatal and postpartum care and mental health screening. Through these measures, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut performed highest, while Nevada, Mississippi and Texas performed the lowest.

The report cited significant inequities in breast and cervical cancer rates, despite higher screening rates among Black women, who are more likely to be up to date on screening tests than white women, according to the report.

Coverage, access and affordability were measured in this report through insurance coverage, cost-related problems getting health care, and system capacity for reproductive health services. The top-ranked states in this category were Vermont, the District of Columbia and Maine, while the lowest ranking states were Texas, Georgia and Nevada.

Among women, the gap in insurance coverage has narrowed since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, but the gap still persisted in most states in 2022, according to the report.

While we may not always be able to control the states in which live, or the quality of healthcare and access in that state, there are some steps we can take on a daily basis to help us prioritize healthy living.

While we know the old adage “diet and exercise” is an effective way to stay on top of our healthy lifestyles, most folks are not able to eat the recommended portions of fruit and vegetables every day. So, experts recommend adding vitamins and minerals to your daily routine to make up for those gaps. For example, taking B vitamins can help support the nervous and immune systems, folic acid can help support a healthy pregnancy, and Vitamin C can help our body heal faster.

As revealed in the report on state’s healthcare quality and access, mental health care is also a key factor living a healthy life. You can prioritize your mental health through improving gut health, spending time in nature, establishing a 30-minute morning routine or spending time with loved ones.