Blue Cross Blue Shield has released a new Health Index, which measures the health of Americans by county, based on data from its 40 million members.
The index measures the impact of more than 200 common diseases and conditions on overall health by assigning each county in the U.S. a "health metric" between 0 and 1.
For example, a measurement of .9 indicates that on average the population of a county is living at 90 percent of its optimal health. So the county population could gain up to 10 percent in healthy lifespan by addressing the top health concerns in the area.
The index concluded that the national health index is .924.
The index found that the top health conditions impacting the nation are: Depression/anxiety/mood disorders, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, substance use disorders.
In our five-county area, Indian River County had the highest health index, while Okeechobee County had the lowest.
| County | Top health issue | Health Index |
| SAINT LUCIE | Hypertension | 0.896 |
| PALM BEACH | Depression / Anxiety / Other Mood Disorders | 0.894 |
| OKEECHOBEE | Diabetes | 0.884 |
| MARTIN | Hypertension | 0.906 |
| INDIAN RIVER | Depression / Anxiety / Other Mood Disorders | 0.909 |
Click here to explore the health index and learn more.