National health security preparedness index 2019: Summary of key findings
The National Health Security Preparedness Index tracks progress in the U.S. in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the health consequences of disasters, disease outbreaks, and other large-scale emergencies.
Results from the 2019 index indicate that readiness for disasters, disease outbreaks, and other emergencies continued to improve in 2018, but current levels of health security remain far from optimal. The national index reached 6.7 out of 10 in 2018, representing a 3.1 percent improvement over the prior year and a 11.7 percent improvement since 2013. But large differences in health security persist across states and regions, with clusters of states in the South-Central, Upper Mountain West, Pacific Coast, and Midwest regions lagging significantly behind the rest of the nation.
If current trends continue, the average state will require six additional years to reach health security levels currently found in the best-prepared states, and at least 10 more years to reach a strong health security level of at least 9.0 out of 10. Growth in the frequency and intensity of health security threats may outpace growth in the nation’s health security protections in the years to come, resulting in greater risks to population health.
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