Living Well / Improving Overall Health Status

Improving Overall Health Status2025-05-14T17:36:13-07:00

About half of adult Californians report very good, or excellent health status

As the “Golden State”, California prides itself as a place where people can enjoy a high quality of life, be healthy, and pursue their dreams. Self-reported overall health status is consistent with objective measures of health status.1 Poor self-reported overall health status is associated with future disability2 and death.3 Because perceptions of health status can change along with health trends, beliefs about what is healthy, and changes to an individual’s personal circumstances, differences in overall health status over time should be interpreted with caution.4

This indicator tracks the percent of adults who reported very good or excellent overall health status.

Overall Health Status

In 2021 (baseline year), 51.6% of adults who reported very good or excellent health. The most recent data available show 51.6% (2021). We hope to reach a target of 60.0% or higher by 2034.

More Data about Overall Health Status

Baseline

51.6%

Current Rate

51.6%

Target

60.0%

Indicator Highlights

Data Snapshot

Percent of Respondents Who Report Overall Health Status to be Very Good, or Excellent, Over Time

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Percent of Respondents Who Report Overall Health Status to be Very Good, or Excellent, by Demographic Category

 

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Percent of Respondents Who Report Overall Health Status to be Very Good, or Excellent, by County

 

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Indicator: Percent of adults reporting very good, or excellent overall health status

Indicator Description: Indicators are from UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) Public Use File (PUF) and the AskCHIS exploratory dashboard. This variable is based on a question that asked respondents about their general health (CHIS PUF Variable: AB1, AskCHIS Variable: Health status). Respondents were asked “Would you say that in general your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?”. Although a short and simple question, it has been shown to be a reliable predictor of mortality and future health care use.

Data Limitations: The survey is administered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, and therefore the measure is not adequately informed by people who are not proficient in the languages offered. Does not include those living in group quarters or homeless persons. Self-reported health status may change over time in response to changes in social norms and circumstances.

Indicator Source: UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research CHIS is an annual, population-based, omnibus health survey of California’s residential population (adults, teens, and children). It is the largest telephone survey in California and the largest state health survey in the country. Note that this indicator uses weighted data.

Indicator Calculation Methodology: Percent of the survey population who report having very good or excellent general health status (answered “Very Good” or “Excellent” to the question “Would you say that in general your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?”). https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/design/Pages/overview.aspx

Data Collection Methodology: Statewide telephone survey using a geographically stratified sample design. Estimates are weighted to Dept. of Finance demographic data (adjusted for group quarters population). More information is available at https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/design/Pages/overview.aspx

Program URL Link: https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/Pages/default.aspx

Reporting Cycle: Annual Survey (June)

1. Wu, S., Wang, R., Zhao, Y., Ma, X., Wu, M., Yan, X., & He, J. (2013). The relationship between self-rated health and objective health status: a population-based study. BMC Public Health, 13, https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-320

2. Farmer, M. M., & Ferraro, K. F. (1997). Distress and perceived health: Mechanisms of health decline. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 38(3), 298-311. https://doi.org/10.2307/2955372

3. Idler, E. L., & Benyamini, Y. (1997). Self-rated health and mortality: A review of twenty-seven community studies. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 38(1), 21-37.

4. Madans, J. H., & Webster, K. M. (2015). Health surveys. In J. D. Wright (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd, pp. 725-730). Elsevier.

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 3). California. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved February 3, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/california/ca.htm

6. California Department of Public Health, Office of Policy and Planning. (2024). California State Health Assessment Core Module 2024 Update. https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/communityBurden/_w_68280b1f9a6a493caac7843b73ec660f/SOPH/2024/Full%20Report.html#rankings-of-leading-causes

7. Shi, L., Green, L. H., & Kazakova, S. (2004). Primary care experience and racial disparities in self-reported health status. JABFP, 17(6), 443-452. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.17.6.443

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