GREAT FALLS — An annual survey of U.S. health ranks Montana 22nd in the nation overall, which is an improvement by one spot from the previous year.
United Health Foundation releases yearly health ranking for each state in December.
The rankings for Montana showed the state has a low relative prevalence of obesity and diabetes and good air quality, but lags behind other states in the rate of binge drinking, immunization coverage among teens and availability of primary care physicians.
The Great Falls Tribune reports that other findings for Montana show a decrease in smoking across the state by 14 percent over the past two years, a steady decline in occupational fatality rate since 1990 and a decrease of children living in poverty by 19 percent over the past two years.