Shortchanging America's Health 2008

A State-By-State Look at How Federal Public Health Dollars Are Spent

April 2008

April 2, 2008, Trust for America's Health (TFAH) released a new study that finds Midwestern states receive less funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) than other states.

Midwestern states receive less funding from the CDC than other states, at an average of $16.24 per person. Western states receive the second least, with an average of $19.74 per person. Northeastern states receive an average of $23.37 per person. Southern states receive the most CDC funding, with an average of $29.40 per person.

The new analysis, Shortchanging America's Health: A State-By-State Look at How Federal Public Health Dollars Are Spent -- 2008, reviews key health statistics and federal funding for public health on a state-by-state level.

Federal funding for disease and injury prevention programs in states averages out to be $17.23 per person for fiscal year (FY) 2007. However, CDC funding for individual states can vary by more than $56 per person, according to the analysis. Alaska receives more than any other state from the CDC at $69.76 per person. Kansas receives the least at $13.61 per person.

States and local communities use CDC funds for a range of public health programs, including cancer prevention, chronic disease prevention and health promotion, diabetes control, environmental health, HIV prevention, immunizations, infectious disease prevention, and bioterrorism preparedness."

For more information about public health funding and health statistics in your state, please select from the below: