A 2024 survey found that over half of U.S. individuals indicated the cost of accessing treatment was the biggest problem facing the national healthcare system. This is much higher than the global average of 32 percent and is in line with the high cost of health care in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries. Bureaucracy along with a lack of staff were also considered to be pressing issues. This statistic reveals the share of individuals who said select problems were the biggest facing the health care system in the United States in 2024.

Health, United States is the report on the health status of the country. Every year, the report presents an overview of national health trends organized around four subject areas: health status and determinants, utilization of health resources, health care resources, and health care expenditures and payers.

According to a survey conducted in the U.S. in 2023, ten percent of Gen Z respondents indicated that their mental health was 'poor', the highest across all generations. On the other hand, four in ten respondents from the baby boomer generation reported their mental health was excellent. This statistic illustrates the self-reported mental health status of Americans as of 2023

Graph and download economic data for All Employees, Home Health Care Services (CEU6562160001) from Jan 1985 to Jun 2025 about health, establishment survey, education, services, employment, and USA.

According to the data from 2025, some 16 percent of respondents said that rising health care costs were the most important health issue facing the United States. Cancer ranked second on the list with 15 percent. Issues with healthcare costsCurrently, the most urgent problem facing American healthcare is the high costs of care. The high expense of healthcare may deter people from getting the appropriate treatment when they need medical care or cause them to completely forego preventative care visits. Many Americans reported that they may skip prescription doses or refrain from taking medication as prescribed due to financial concerns. Such health-related behavior can result in major health problems, which may raise the long-term cost of care. Inflation, medical debt, and unforeseen medical expenses have all added to the burden that health costs are placing on household income. Gun violence issueThe gun violence epidemic has plagued the United States over the past few years, yet very little has been done to address the issue. In recent years, gun violence has become the leading cause of death among American children and teens. Even though more than half of Americans are in favor of tougher gun control regulations, there is little political will to strongly reform the current gun law. Gun violence has a deep traumatic impact on survivors and society, it is developing into a major public health crisis in the United States.

Graph and download economic data for Medical Services Expenditures by Disease: Mental Illness , Blended Account Basis (MNINEIEXPBLEND) from 2000 to 2021 about mental health, disease, physicians, healthcare, medical, health, expenditures, services, and USA.

The US Healthcare Visits Statistics dataset includes data about the frequency of healthcare visits to doctor offices, emergency departments, and home visits within the past 12 months in the United States by age, race, Hispanic origin, poverty level, health insurance status, geographic region and other characteristics between 1997 and 2016.

Contains data from World Health Organization's data portal covering various indicators (one per resource).

Graph and download economic data for Expenditures: Healthcare by Income Before Taxes: $20,000 to $29,999 (CXUHEALTHLB0206M) from 1984 to 2015 about healthcare, health, tax, expenditures, income, and USA.

United States US: Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % of Private Expenditure on Health data was reported at 21.365 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.927 % for 2013. United States US: Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % of Private Expenditure on Health data is updated yearly, averaging 23.966 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2014, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.623 % in 1998 and a record low of 21.365 % in 2014. United States US: Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure: % of Private Expenditure on Health data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Out of pocket expenditure is any direct outlay by households, including gratuities and in-kind payments, to health practitioners and suppliers of pharmaceuticals, therapeutic appliances, and other goods and services whose primary intent is to contribute to the restoration or enhancement of the health status of individuals or population groups. It is a part of private health expenditure.; ; World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (see http://apps.who.int/nha/database for the most recent updates).; Weighted average;

US: Improved Sanitation Facilities: % of Population with Access data was reported at 100.000 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 100.000 % for 2014. US: Improved Sanitation Facilities: % of Population with Access data is updated yearly, averaging 99.800 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2015 and a record low of 99.500 % in 1991. US: Improved Sanitation Facilities: % of Population with Access data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Access to improved sanitation facilities refers to the percentage of the population using improved sanitation facilities. Improved sanitation facilities are likely to ensure hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact. They include flush/pour flush (to piped sewer system, septic tank, pit latrine), ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine, pit latrine with slab, and composting toilet.; ; WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation (http://www.wssinfo.org/).; Weighted average;

In 2022, nearly ** percent of adults with any mental illness (AMI) in Indiana reported that they were not able to receive mental health-related treatment, the highest share across all states in the United States. On the other hand, West Virginia had the lowest share of adults in the U.S. who reported unmet mental health needs with **** percent. This statistic represents the share of adults with AMI who reported unmet needs for mental health treatment in the U.S. in 2022, by state.

US: People Using Basic Sanitation Services: Urban: % of Urban Population data was reported at 99.989 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 99.989 % for 2014. US: People Using Basic Sanitation Services: Urban: % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 99.989 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.989 % in 2015 and a record low of 99.989 % in 2015. US: People Using Basic Sanitation Services: Urban: % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. The percentage of people using at least basic sanitation services, that is, improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households. This indicator encompasses both people using basic sanitation services as well as those using safely managed sanitation services. Improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour flush to piped sewer systems, septic tanks or pit latrines; ventilated improved pit latrines, compositing toilets or pit latrines with slabs.; ; WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org).; Weighted Average;

Health, United States is an annual report on trends in health statistics, find more information at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm.

This dataset presents the age-adjusted death rates for the 10 leading causes of death in the United States beginning in 1999. Data are based on information from all resident death certificates filed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia using demographic and medical characteristics. Age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000 population) are based on the 2000 U.S. standard population. Populations used for computing death rates after 2010 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 census, estimated as of July 1, 2010. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for non-census years before 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Causes of death classified by the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10) are ranked according to the number of deaths assigned to rankable causes. Cause of death statistics are based on the underlying cause of death. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, mortality data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov). REFERENCES National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available. Mortality multiple cause files. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm. Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Curtin SC, and Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2015. National vital statistics reports; vol 66. no. 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2017. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_06.pdf.

Changelog:

Update September 20, 2021: Data and overview updated to reflect data used in the September 15 story Over Half of States Have Rolled Back Public Health Powers in Pandemic. It includes 303 state or local public health leaders who resigned, retired or were fired between April 1, 2020 and Sept. 12, 2021. Previous versions of this dataset reflected data used in the Dec. 2020 and April 2021 stories.

Overview

Across the U.S., state and local public health officials have found themselves at the center of a political storm as they combat the worst pandemic in a century. Amid a fractured federal response, the usually invisible army of workers charged with preventing the spread of infectious disease has become a public punching bag.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, at least 303 state or local public health leaders in 41 states have resigned, retired or been fired since April 1, 2020, according to an ongoing investigation by The Associated Press and KHN.

According to experts, that is the largest exodus of public health leaders in American history.

Many left due to political blowback or pandemic pressure, as they became the target of groups that have coalesced around a common goal — fighting and even threatening officials over mask orders and well-established public health activities like quarantines and contact tracing. Some left to take higher profile positions, or due to health concerns. Others were fired for poor performance. Dozens retired. An untold number of lower level staffers have also left.

The result is a further erosion of the nation’s already fragile public health infrastructure, which KHN and the AP documented beginning in 2020 in the Underfunded and Under Threat project.

Findings

The AP and KHN found that:

• One in five Americans live in a community that has lost its local public health department leader during the pandemic
• Top public health officials in 28 states have left state-level departments ## Using this data To filter for data specific to your state, use this query

To get total numbers of exits by state, broken down by state and local departments, use this query

Methodology

KHN and AP counted how many state and local public health leaders have left their jobs between April 1, 2020 and Sept. 12, 2021.

The government tasks public health workers with improving the health of the general population, through their work to encourage healthy living and prevent infectious disease. To that end, public health officials do everything from inspecting water and food safety to testing the nation’s babies for metabolic diseases and contact tracing cases of syphilis.

Many parts of the country have a health officer and a health director/administrator by statute. The analysis counted both of those positions if they existed. For state-level departments, the count tracks people in the top and second-highest-ranking job.

The analysis includes exits of top department officials regardless of reason, because no matter the reason, each left a vacancy at the top of a health agency during the pandemic. Reasons for departures include political pressure, health concerns and poor performance. Others left to take higher profile positions or to retire. Some departments had multiple top officials exit over the course of the pandemic; each is included in the analysis.

Reporters compiled the exit list by reaching out to public health associations and experts in every state and interviewing hundreds of public health employees. They also received information from the National Association of City and County Health Officials, and combed news reports and records.

Public health departments can be found at multiple levels of government. Each state has a department that handles these tasks, but most states also have local departments that either operate under local or state control. The population served by each local health department is calculated using the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 Population Estimates based on each department’s jurisdiction.

KHN and the AP have worked since the spring on a series of stories documenting the funding, staffing and problems around public health. A previous data distribution detailed a decade's worth of cuts to state and local spending and staffing on public health. That data can be found here.

Attribution

Findings and the data should be cited as: "According to a KHN and Associated Press report."

Is Data Missing?

If you know of a public health official in your state or area who has left that position between April 1, 2020 and Sept. 12, 2021 and isn't currently in our dataset, please contact authors Anna Maria Barry-Jester annab@kff.org, Hannah Recht hrecht@kff.org, Michelle Smith mrsmith@ap.org and Lauren Weber laurenw@kff.org.

United States US: Health Expenditure per Capita data was reported at 9,402.537 USD in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 8,987.901 USD for 2013. United States US: Health Expenditure per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 6,555.232 USD from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2014, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,402.537 USD in 2014 and a record low of 3,788.310 USD in 1995. United States US: Health Expenditure per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total health expenditure is the sum of public and private health expenditures as a ratio of total population. It covers the provision of health services (preventive and curative), family planning activities, nutrition activities, and emergency aid designated for health but does not include provision of water and sanitation. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (see http://apps.who.int/nha/database for the most recent updates).; Weighted average;

In 2023, 10.9 percent of people aged 18 to 64 in the United States didn't have health insurance, the lowest in the provided time interval. This statistic contains data on the percentage of U.S. Americans without health insurance coverage from 1997 to 2023, by age.

Graph and download economic data for Expenditures: Healthcare by Age: from Age 25 to 34 (CXUHEALTHLB0403M) from 1984 to 2023 about healthcare, age, 25 years +, health, expenditures, and USA.

This study investigates whether worsening mental health has played a significant role in the rising mortality rates experienced by some population groups in the early 21st century, a question that has gained prominence with increased attention to so-called “deaths of despair.” The main takeaway is that although declining psychological health has likely contributed to adverse mortality trends—especially among prime-age non-Hispanic Whites—its overall impact is limited and not well captured by standard definitions of “deaths of despair.”