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WASHINGTON, DC — A new report released today by the American Human Development Project introduces the American Human Development Index, a single measure of
well-being for all Americans based on indicators in three key areas:
health, education and income. “The Measure of America: American Human
Development Report 2008-2009,” published by Columbia University Press
and the Social Science Research Council, is the first-ever measure of
the status of human development in the United States or any developed
nation and provides a snapshot of Americans’ well-being by state,
congressional district, gender, race and ethnicity.
“The “Measure of America” reveals huge gaps among some groups in our
country to access opportunity and reach their potential,” said Sarah
Burd-Sharps, co-author of the book. “Some Americans are living anywhere
from 30 to 50 years behind others when it comes to issues we all care
about: health, education and standard of living. For example, the state
human development index shows that people in last-ranked Mississippi
are living 30 years behind those in first-ranked Connecticut.”
Using U.S. government statistics on longevity, educational
attainment and enrollment, and earnings, the report reveals where
America is today and sets a benchmark against which we will be able to
assess where we are tomorrow. Unlike single measurements of health,
education or income, the American Human Development Index combines
these factors into one measurement that more accurately reflects
Americans’ well-being. The report identifies which parts of the country
are moving forward and which are stalled or even falling behind.
“This is not a report about one group of Americans or another; it is
about all of us,” said Kristen Lewis, co-author of the report. “By
ranking the fifty states, the 436 congressional districts, and the
major racial and ethnic groups, the American Human Development Index
allows everyone to see where his or her community fits in terms of
access to opportunity and standard of living.”
The American Human Development Report 2008-2009 shows that although
America is one of the richest nations in the world, it is woefully
behind when it comes to providing opportunity and choices to all
Americans to build a better life. Following are just a few of the many
findings of the report:
- In Texas’ 29th Congressional District, the percentage of the adult
population with less than a high school degree is at about the level of
the U.S. average in the early 1970s. - Among the nation’s 436 congressional districts, New York’s 14th
District (in Manhattan) ranks first and California’s 20th District
(around Fresno) ranks last; the average resident of New York’s 14th
District earns more than three times as much as the average
California’s 20th District resident. - Nationally, Asian males have the highest human development index
score and African American males the lowest, with a staggering 50-year
gap between the two groups. - Despite the fact that the United States spends roughly $5.2 billion
every day on health care, more per capita than any other nation in the
world, Americans live shorter lives than citizens of every Western
European and Nordic country except for one.
“The information found in this report will prove invaluable to the
philanthropic community when looking for ways to improve the lives of
people living with reduced opportunities,” said Ed Cain, vice president
for programs of The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. “American
philanthropies can use this report to identify where the needs exist
and to guide their investments in programs that address those needs by
providing better access to healthcare, education and jobs.”
Eighteen years after the first United Nations Human Development
Report was published, more than 140 countries around the world have
replicated the human development index for their country to better
understand what is inhibiting human development and to use the data to
develop policies that will improve their citizen’s standard of living.
“The human development index is such an accepted standard that in
Brazil, for example, the human development index of each team’s country
was flashed on the screen during televised World Cup soccer matches,”
said Eduardo Martins, co-author of the report.
“The American Human Development Index is unique because it reveals
the interlocking factors that create or deny opportunity and determine
life chances,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America.
“The analysis is particularly revealing in places like the Gulf Coast
region, where we work with 34 regional organizations. The report
clearly illustrates the conditions residents were struggling with even
prior to the hurricanes of 2005—limited access to education, lower
incomes, and shorter lives – and argues for a comprehensive solution
for recovery.”
The report also includes key social, economic, political,
environmental, housing, transportation and military data distilled from
a vast array of primary sources not found together anywhere else.
Finally, the report describes successful policies in America and other
wealthy nations, allowing policy makers to draw practical lessons for
policy action locally or nationally.
“The American Human Development Index offers a clear and balanced
measure of how well our public and private policies are meeting the
needs of Americans,” said Darren Walker, vice president, Foundation
Initiatives, The Rockefeller Foundation. “The data in this report can
be used to build on past policy successes and to create opportunities
that serve a new generation of Americans.”
Even more scary is that fact that everyone argues and bickers so much about the right course of action that things may not be solved in a timely manner. "[L]imited access to education, lower incomes, and shorter lives" are not issues that our country should be facing! Very informative 