Report shows seniors' health rankings by state, says rural seniors face 'significant health challenges'

Rural seniors face "significant health challenges" when compared to their suburban and urban counterparts, according to an annual report on the well-being of American senior citizens by America's Health Rankings. Some of the report's findings:

• More rural seniors are physically inactive in rural areas at 34.3 percent, compared to 30.4 percent of suburban seniors and 30.1 percent of urban seniors. 
• That disparity is reflected in seniors' own assessment of their health: 36.8 percent of seniors report their health as "very good" or "excellent" compared to 42.0 percent in suburban areas and 41.4 percent in urban areas.
• Significantly more rural seniors (32.4 percent) report falls than suburban seniors (28.5 percent) and urban seniors (29.5 percent). 
• Only 57.2 percent of rural seniors got the flu vaccine this past year, compared to 61.4 percent of urban seniors (suburban figures were not shown for this statistic). 
• Rural seniors receive health screenings at a lower rate than their counterparts, with 66.4 percent of rural seniors compared to 74.3 percent of suburban seniors and 75.3 percent of urban seniors.
• The five states with the healthiest seniors are Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Hawaii, and Utah in the top spot. The same five held the top spots last year.
• The least healthy states for seniors are Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana in last place.
• Utah, Alaska and Rhode Island have improved the most in health rankings in the past five years, while Vermont, Arizona, Kansas and Nebraska have seen the biggest declines in health rankings.
• With America's senior population now at 15 percent of the total population and rising, senior health-care issues will become increasingly important.