Story courtesy of
American College of Preventive Medicine

MINNETONKA, Minn -- Hispanics are accessing preventive care less than non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks – that’s one of the findings in “America’s Health Rankings® Spotlight: Prevention,” a new report from United Health Foundation released today in partnership with the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).
The 2016 “America’s Health Rankings Spotlight: Prevention” took an in-depth look at prevention measures across all 50 states through the lenses of health care access, immunizations and chronic-disease prevention. United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings platform provides actionable, data-driven insights that stakeholders can use to effect change in a state or nationally.

““Prevention is one of the cornerstones of public health. The findings of this report are a call to action to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, income, geography or education, have the opportunity to live whole, healthy and complete lives.” ”

— Reed Tuckson, M.D.

The spotlight report found that:
•    Use of clinical preventive services is uneven and varies by race, income, education and geography.
•    A lower percentage of Hispanic adults report having a dedicated health care provider (59.2 percent), compared with non-Hispanic white (82.1 percent) and non-Hispanic black (76.5 percent) adults. A lower percentage of Hispanic adults also receive colorectal cancer screenings and cholesterol screenings.
•    Adults with higher levels of education and income receive a greater percentage of recommended screenings than adults with lower levels of education and income. For example, adults making at least $75,000 annually receive recommended screenings at a higher percentage than adults with incomes less than $25,000 per year.
•    Immunization rates vary among states. For example, childhood immunization rates range from 84.7 percent in Maine to 63.4 percent in West Virginia, and adult influenza immunization rates range from 50.2 percent in South Dakota to 31.7 percent in Florida.
Health care access is strongly associated with overall prevention. States that score well on access measures tend to perform well across a range of preventive-health metrics. For example, having a dedicated health care provider is highly correlated with receiving recommended colorectal cancer screenings.
States that score well in one prevention category generally score well across the other two categories, suggesting the importance of taking a holistic view of prevention activities. New England states tend to excel in prevention activities across all three categories and may serve as a potential source for best practices.

“Prevention is one of the cornerstones of public health. The findings of this report are a call to action to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, income, geography or education, have the opportunity to live whole, healthy and complete lives,” said Reed Tuckson, M.D., external senior medical adviser to United Health Foundation. “Hispanics, who represent one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of the population in the United States, will face serious health challenges if we don’t find a way to improve their access to and use of preventive health care services. It’s the work we do now that will not only save lives but also billions of dollars in health care costs long-term.”
“We have a strong and growing body of clinical evidence pointing to the fact that preventive services and interventions work to improve people’s health and well-being, all while lowering overall health care system costs,” said Daniel S. Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.H, president of the American College of Preventive Medicine. “The members of American College of Preventive Medicine have been on the frontlines of developing and delivering comprehensive preventive care strategies for more than half a century, and we are pleased to collaborate with United Health Foundation to increase understanding of the important prevention-related issues that require our continued focus as a nation.”
As part of a new and expanded America’s Health Rankings series for 2016, Spotlight: Prevention marks the first of several spotlights to be released this year by United Health Foundation focused on important markers of the nation’s health, including impacts of unhealthy living, substance abuse and mental health. Spotlights are intended to shine a light on the role that these issues and their associated factors play in the nation’s health. The spotlights complement the “America’s Health Rankings Annual Report” and the “America’s Health Rankings Senior Report,” as well as new population reports examining the health of mothers and children and the health of the nation’s veterans.  
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, United Health Foundation works to improve our health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities. United Health Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and health care. To date, United Health Foundation has committed more than $285 million to programs and communities around the world. Learn more at  www.unitedhealthfoundation.org.
Founded in 1954, the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is a U.S.-based physician organization focused on practice, research, publication and teaching of evidence-based, preventive medicine. As the umbrella society for the specialty of Preventive Medicine and physicians dedicated to prevention, ACPM seeks to improve the health of individuals and populations through evidence-based health promotion, disease prevention and systems-based approaches to improving health and health care. For more information, visit www.acpm.org. •