PRINCETON, New Jersey – The annual assessment of America’s day-to-day readiness for managing community health emergencies found New Hampshire has improved since 2013.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released the results of the 2019 National Health Security Preparedness Index, which found in the past year, New Hampshire scored 6.8 on a 10-point scale for preparedness, compared to 6.7 for the U.S. as a whole.

The nation’s overall preparedness improved slightly during the last year, though deep regional differences remain.

“We are seeing some promising national numbers when it comes to our nation’s ability to cope with health emergencies,” foundation Chief Science Officer Alonzo Plough said. “Disasters like recent major hurricanes show that to take the next step in increasing our preparedness levels, we must focus on improving equity within our efforts.”

The index analyzes 129 different measures for each state and the nation. This includes the percentage of bridges that are in good condition, the prevalence of hazard planning in public schools, the number of paramedics and hospitals, and other factors-to calculate a composite score providing the most comprehensive picture of health security available. The scores indicate the ability to protect the health status of residents from incidents like newly emerging infectious diseases, terrorism, and extreme weather conditions at the state and national levels.

“We’ve seen steady gains nationwide, but some states and regions are falling behind while others are moving ahead,” University of Kentucky researcher Glen Mays said.

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