Summary
Researchers use multiple health measures and data sources to highlight the major trends and disparities in health outcomes across California. This report describes public health’s unique role in population health improvement, as well as the leading causes of mortality, premature death, and morbidity across the various life stages of Californians; as well as the shared risk and protective factors contributing to these health outcomes.
The life course perspective emphasized in this report illustrates the opportunity to address the unique disparities of health conditions within specific groups through prevention strategies that promote safe conditions for all Californians as they live, work, and grow. These public health priority approaches include:
- Intervention at the earliest stages of life,
- Prevention, especially primary prevention in behavioral health,
- Upstream strategies to improve social determinants that create healthy conditions for all, with a priority focus on advancing health equity, and
- Strengthening public health readiness and resiliency in the face of emerging threats and challenges such as climate change.
Researchers hope the data, analysis, and public health strategies and actions outlined in this report serve as a guide to the current state of public health, past achievements, and where to focus future efforts.
This report uses 2021 and 2022 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data.
