Alaska releases revised Healthy Alaskans 2030 state health assessment

Alaska's state health assessment now reflects the toll of COVID-19, drug overdoses, climate change and workforce shortages, after the Alaska Department of Health and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) released a revised Healthy Alaskans 2030 State Health Assessment on Friday. The update replaces the version published in 2019.

"The State Health Assessment is a comprehensive health checkup for the whole state; it represents the health of all of us," said DOH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Lawrence.

DOH, ANTHC, Tribal partners, public health professionals and community stakeholders across Alaska developed the assessment. It is meant to serve as a resource for organizations working to improve Alaskans' health.

The assessment underpins the Healthy Alaskans 2030 State Health Improvement Plan, which lists 15 priority health topics and 30 objectives. It will inform a 2026 revision of that plan. Alaska is the only state in the country whose health improvement plan is led by a state-Tribal partnership.

The first 2030 scorecards, based on data from 2018 through 2021, show alcohol-induced mortality met its target, falling from 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018 to 22.6 in 2019. Ten other objectives improved from baseline. Most statewide objectives remain off track, and disparities persist for Alaska Native people.

Weather Potdevin, ANTHC's chief executive of community health services and Tribal health relations, said the consortium will keep using the data through its Epidemiology Center and Tribal health organizations to strengthen community public health efforts and outcomes.