The greatest health strengths and challenges in Pennsylvania

The recently released “America’s Health Rankings 2022 Annual Report” uncovered several health strengths and challenges in Pennsylvania.


Pennsylvania is ranked 25th in the country for overall health – an improvement from a ranking of 28 in 20191 – according to America’s Health Rankings 2022 Annual Report. Below is a summary of the positive and negative factors that contributed to this ranking.2

Pennsylvania health strengths

  • Low percentage of household food insecurity
  • Low percentage of adults who avoided care due to cost
  • High prevalence of having a dedicated health care provider
  • 5% decrease in suicide from 15.5% to 13.1 deaths per 100,000 population between 2017 and 2020

Pennsylvania health challenges

  • High Black/white residential segregation
  • High prevalence of insufficient sleep
  • High levels of air pollution
  • 55% increase in non-medical drug use from 10.6% to 16.4% between 2021 and 2022
  • 11% increase in obesity from 30% to 33.3% of adults between 2015 and 2021

What this means for employers

Employers who do business or have employees living in the state of Pennsylvania may want to consider programs or benefits that can help support their employee population and guide them to better health decisions.

Learn more about the factors impacting the health of Pennsylvania

The real people behind these numbers are what make the work ahead so critically important. Despite the challenges ahead, I remain optimistic that the health system can rise to the moment to address long-standing disparities and improve the health and well-being of all Americans, for this generation and the next.

— Patricia L. Lewis, Chief Sustainability Officer at UnitedHealth Group

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