OUR APPROACH
Turning health data into action
Oklahoma ranks 45th in the 2025 America’s Health Rankings Annual Report. OPFH uses that independent benchmark to identify where Oklahoma is performing well, where it is falling behind and which policy opportunities can produce measurable progress toward 35th by 2035.
Our goal is to create a criteria to track our progress using Oklahoma data, using the AHR as a model but not incorporating all of their metrics.
WHERE WE ARE
45th
THE GOAL
35th by 2035
Health is broader than health care.
Obesity, smoking, heart disease and diabetes matter greatly. They are part of a much broader picture.
The 2025 Annual Report analyzes 99 measures across five categories. Fifty weighted measures determine the overall state ranking, while 49 unweighted measures add context. That means Oklahoma’s performance reflects not only clinical care and disease, but also education, economic stability, the physical environment, prevention and healthy behaviors.
The ranking includes measures such as drinking-water violations, voter participation, primary-care access, screening rates, food insecurity and physical activity—alongside mortality, chronic disease and other traditional health outcomes.
These measures demonstrate why no single health system, government agency, business or legislative session can move the ranking alone. Oklahoma needs a disciplined coalition capable of working across sectors and sustaining attention over time.
Some measures present practical opportunities for near-term progress; others require sustained investment and systems change. OPFH prioritizes proposals that are evidence-based, measurable, feasible and capable of earning broad support in Oklahoma.
WHERE OKLAHOMA PERFORMS WELL
Excessive Drinking
#2
Mental Health Providers
#12
Severe Housing Problems
#21
Volunteerism
#23
Insufficient Sleep
#24
WHERE OKLAHOMA MUST IMPROVE
Fruit & Vegetable Consumption
#49
E-Cigarette Use
#49
4th Grade Reading Proficiency
#48
Uninsured Rate
#48
Exercise
#46
Drinking Water Violations
#45
Source: America’s Health Rankings, 2025 Annual Report. Rankings shown reflect the 2025 report edition.
Explore Oklahoma’s scorecard and see the data for yourself.
What the rankings actually measure
Social & Economic Factors
Education, economic hardship, food insecurity, public-health funding, broadband access and social engagement
Physical Environment
Air and water quality, housing conditions, environmental risks and infrastructure
Health Outcomes
Premature death, chronic conditions, low birth weight, mental distress and other measures of health and longevity
Clinical Care
Insurance coverage, primary-care capacity, preventive services, immunizations and avoidable hospital use
Behaviors
Smoking, vaping, physical activity, nutrition, sleep and other individual or community health behaviors
How do we rank up?
OPFH evaluates policy opportunities according to five questions:
01
Will the proposal improve an important measure?
02
Is the evidence strong?
03
Is implementation feasible?
04
Is the specific policy intervention viable in Oklahoma?
05
Can results be measured and reported publicly?
The 35th by 2035 strategy turns those questions into a long-range operating plan. OPFH will maintain a public scorecard, advance focused policy priorities and build the cross-sector support needed to sustain progress across administrations and legislative sessions.
Clinical care is essential — and not the whole model
Clinical care carries 15% of the America’s Health Rankings model weight. That percentage describes the ranking methodology; it does not mean clinical care causes only 15% of health. It means the overall state ranking also places substantial weight on social and economic factors, health behaviors, the physical environment and health outcomes.
Source: America’s Health Rankings, 2025 Annual Report
CLINICAL CARE
15%
OTHER MODEL WEIGHT
85%
Social & economic factors · Health behaviors · Physical environment · Health outcomes
Health systems and clinicians are indispensable partners, but they cannot independently control every measure that shapes Oklahoma’s ranking. Progress also depends on employers, schools, tribal nations, local communities, policymakers and individuals.
A broad ranking requires a broad coalition — and a disciplined policy agenda.
Oklahoma’s current strengths and challenges
STRONGER MEASURES
Excessive Drinking
#2
Housing Cost Burden *
#17
Housing With Lead Risk
#21
Severe Housing Problems
#21
Volunteerism
#23
Insufficient Sleep
#24
PRIORITY CHALLENGES
Fruit & Vegetable Consumption
#49
E-Cigarette Use
#49
Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency
#48
HPV Vaccination
#48
Uninsured
#48
Exercise
#46
Food Insecurity
#46
Frequent Mental Distress
#45
Primary Care Providers
#45
Physical Inactivity
#45
Cancer Screenings
#44
Broadband
#44
Water Quality Violations
#44
Source: America’s Health Rankings, 2025 Annual Report. An asterisk indicates an unweighted measure that does not count toward the composite score.
Our priority framework
OPFH prioritizes proposals using five criteria: potential effect on Oklahoma’s ranking, strength of evidence, implementation feasibility, viability in our state’s political environment and the ability to measure results. The agenda will be reviewed and refreshed as new data become available.
01
Potential effect on Oklahoma’s ranking
02
Strength of evidence
03
Implementation feasibility
04
Viability in our state’s political environment
05
Ability to measure results
Tactics
01
Policy Development and Legislative Advocacy
Translate data and expert guidance into a focused, board-approved agenda and advocate for its adoption.
02
Public Education and Business Engagement
Explain the connection between population health, workforce performance, benefit costs and economic development.
03
Scorecards and Accountability
Track legislation, implementation and outcomes against the 35th by 2035 objective.
04
Strategic Communications
Use research, op-eds, briefings and issue campaigns to build informed support for evidence-based priorities.
05
Policymaker and Expert Engagement
Connect decision-makers with coalition members, researchers, clinicians and community leaders.
06
Recognition and Coalition Growth
Recognize measurable leadership and recruit organizations capable of advancing the mission.
See who’s already at the table.
Get in touch
If this approach aligns with your organization’s priorities, OPFH would welcome a direct conversation about membership, policy expertise, research or community engagement.