California and El Dorado County are near the top when it comes to health according to a new study by the United Health Foundation called America’s Health Rankings Annual Report.

In its 28th year, the report provides a holistic view of the health of the nation and of each state by analyzing 35 measures of behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes data.

Massachusetts ranked as the healthiest state in 2017 for the first time, followed by Hawaii, Vermont, Utah and Connecticut.

Mississippi ranked 50th for the second year in a row with Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama and West Virginia as the least healthiest states in the nation.

Tracking key mortality indicators for the nation as a whole, the report found that premature deaths rose by 3 percent from 2015 and cardiovascular deaths increased for the second consecutive year, with the rate among African-Americans significantly higher than the rate among whites, Hispanic and Asian Americans and Native Americans.

However, the biggest change was the 7 percent increase in drug deaths, which the United Health Foundation said was highest level ever as measured by its annual report.

The increase was noted even in the healthiest states including New Hampshire (up 118 percent), Rhode Island (up 56 percent) and Massachusetts (up 69 percent).

California at the top

Ranking among the healthiest states is California, which came in 17th in the nation, down one spot from 2016.

Factors contributing to the ranking include a 24 percent decrease in air pollution over the past five years although it did go up again by 3 percent this year. The percentage of people uninsured also decreased 59 percent from 19.6 percent to 8 percent and premature deaths decreased 9 percent.

California also saw a rise in drug related deaths but not as much as in other states.

Positive health factors in California include a low prevalence of smoking, a higher than average number of medical personnel/dentists and a low infant mortality rate.

Challenges include high levels of air pollution, large disparities in health status by educational attainment and low immunization coverage among children.

El Dorado County

The United Health Foundation study does not break down information by county but the Robert Wood John Foundation County Health Rankings does and according to that study El Dorado County is the 15th healthiest out of 57 California counties.

That score is related to its quality of life, people having health insurance and there being adequate numbers of medical personnel. It is also lower in sexually transmitted infections and teen births.

However the county does have a very high incidence of alcohol related driving deaths. Forty-three percent of driving deaths in the county involve alcohol compared to 29 percent statewide.

Social and economic factors are better in the county as well including years of education, unemployment and the smaller number of children growing up in poverty or in single-parent households.

Violent crime is considerably lower in this county as well but there are a higher number of injury related deaths, which may partially be the result of all the recreational opportunities available locally.

To read United Health Foundation’s report visit americashealthrankings.org/. The Robert Wood John Foundation report can be found at countyhealthrankings.org/app/california/2017/rankings/el-dorado/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot.