School leads development of America’s Health Rankings

Anna Schenck, PhD, MSPH, director of the Public Health Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, led the scientific advisory committee for United Healthcare Foundation’s rankings of health by state. The 2010 findings were released this week.

The state rankings, used by policy makers and others throughout the country to assess the need for health care improvements in various areas of the country, have been compiled annually since 2002. United Health Foundation, in concert with the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Partnership for Prevention, commissioned UNC’s public health school to undertake an ongoing review of America’s Health Rankings.

The Scientific Advisory Committee was charged with conducting a thorough review of the index and recommending improvements that would maintain the value of the comparative, longitudinal information, reflect the evolving role and science of public health, utilize new or improved measures of health as they become available and acceptable, and incorporate new methods as feasible.

 

In addition to Schenck, other UNC members of the 22-member panel include Jamie Bartram, PhD, professor of environmental sciences and engineering and director of The Water Institute at UNC, part of the Gillings School of Global Public Health; Leah Devlin, DDS, MPH, and Sheila Leatherman, MSW, Gillings Visiting Professors in health policy and management at the School; Thomas C. Ricketts, PhD, MPH, professor of health policy and management and social medicine; Barbara K. Rimer, DrPH, dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor of health behavior and health education at the public health school; and William L. Roper, MD, MPH, chair emeritus of the panel, dean of the UNC School of Medicine, vice chancellor for medical affairs and chief executive officer of the UNC Health Care System.

 

For nearly 10 years, UNC has provided technical expertise to the America’s Health Rankings. Ricketts served as chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) from 2001 until earlier this year. He continues to serve on the SAC.

 

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.