Why are some communities healthier than others?
Moody's Analytics seeks to determine underlying risk factors across U.S. counties in its report, "Understanding health conditions across the U.S," prepared for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Recommended For You
Using data on more than 24 million BCBS members in 2015, Moody's Analytics used the Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index to determine the relationship between county-level factors and 10 major health conditions, and found three broad groupings:
-
Physical health conditions, such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes, which can be well explained by the socioeconomic, demographic and behavioral characteristics of a county's population base.
"For example, diabetes strongly correlates with unemployment, lower educational attainment, and obesity," the authors write.
Mental health conditions, such as hyperactivity, depression, anxiety and affective disorders, which are not related to other conditions and are harder to explain using county population characteristics.
"In addition, these conditions can often have the opposite relationship to socioeconomic and demographic factors from those in Group 1, which may be due to treatment and diagnosis effects," the authors write. "For example, depression is actually more prevalent in places with higher educational attainment, which may be because more educated patients are more likely to seek treatment."
Unique health conditions, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and substance abuse disorder, which fall somewhere in between Groups 1 and 2, and are driven by a mix of environment, genetics and treatment/diagnosis effects unique to each condition.
"This analysis demonstrates the value of the BCBS Health Index for developing a deeper understanding of how and why community health varies across the country," says Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi.
Using the index, Moody's Analytics also found that five conditions nationally are responsible for 30 percent of adverse health of BCBS members: depression, anxiety and other mood disorders; hypertension; diabetes; high cholesterol; and substance use disorders. As a comprehensive measurement of actual health care experiences, the index was designed to support national and local discussions about how to improve American health policy and practice.
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are dedicated to addressing social determinants of health at the local level by identifying geographic areas of opportunity and targeting services to improve health in communities," says Maureen Sullivan, the association's chief strategy and innovation officer. "This analysis also shows the need for continued improvements in the economic opportunities and social influences that drive healthy behaviors within a community."
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Katie Kuehner-Hebert
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.
