What is Healthy Iowans?
Healthy Iowans sets the agenda for solving the top health issues facing Iowans so they can live longer, healthier, more productive lives and enjoy our rich quality of life. The plan is the outcome of a statewide needs assessment involving public and private partners as well as individuals that have identified Iowa’s top health issues and are committed to making changes. Since the 1990s, Healthy Iowans has included a set of measurable goals with objectives/action steps.
Healthy Iowans: Iowa's Health Improvement Plan 2017-2021 is built on health needs identified by Iowa’s 99 counties, contributions from individuals, private and public organizations, and advisory groups, data analysis, and such national resources as Healthy People 2020. The Iowa Department of Public Health coordinates ongoing technical assistance, tracking yearly progress, and making revisions.
What are Iowa's Top Health Issues?
January 2018 Update
Assessment is an ongoing process. Through 2021, the Iowa Department of Public Health plans to publish an annual supplement to the State Health Assessment. This year's supplement is an analysis of six national ranking and scorecard reports showing the health issues and corresponding data for which Iowa performs poorly compared with other states. Click on the following file to review and use the 2017 update to inform decisions that will make Iowa a healthier state.
2016 State Health Assessment
The following infographic shows the top health issues identified during Iowa's 2016 state health assessment process. The assessment included input from all 99 of Iowa's counties, via local Community Health Needs Assessments involving local public health agencies, and recommendations submitted by statewide organizations, advisory bodies, state agencies, and individual Iowans. In addition, more than 2,000 indicators from multiple national sources were analyzed to gauge Iowa's performance relative to other states. Finally, Iowa's progress on the 2012-2016 Healthy Iowans plan and information from the 2015 State Health Profile for Iowa was used to identify additional areas of need and population trends that may affect Iowa over the next five years.
Download the full infographic: Top Health Issues in Iowa 
Download the full 2016 State Health Assessment
Details on Iowa's Health Issues
Health Equity
Download the presentation on Health Equity and Healthy Iowans: Iowa's Health Improvement Plan 2017-2021 presented on April 11, 2017 at the Iowa Governor's Conference on Public Health.
Healthy Aging
Download a presentation on Iowa's Top Health Issues: Healthy Aging presented on April 21, 2017 at the National Network of Public Health Institute's Open Forum on Quality Improvement in New Orleans.
State Health Profile for Iowa
To help in identifying priority health issues and to track progress in improving Iowans' health, IDPH partnered with the University of Iowa, College of Public Health’s Center for Public Health Statistics on the 2015 State Health Profile for Iowa. The 221-page profile includes hundreds of indicators on the following topics: demographics, access to quality health services and support, acute diseases, addictive behaviors, chronic diseases, environmental health, healthy living, injury and violence, mental health and mental preparedness, and preparedness and response.