Publications

View all publications below, including the Commission's recommendations, major reports from its fact-finding journey around the country, and a series of issue briefs on the links between key social factors and America's health.  Publications may be reproduced without permission provided the following attribution is noted: “Courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.” Additional source information must also be included when data are used.

  • REPORTS

    Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America

    This Commission report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America, describes the Commission's work and provides recommendations for moving forward to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to lead healthier lives.

    Reaching America's Health Potential Among Adults: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health

    Reaching America’s Health Potential Among Adults: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health – the second Commission chartbook investigating health across social and economic groups – examines the differences in adults’ health based on their levels of education. Nationally and in each state there is a consistent and striking pattern: as levels of education rise, health improves.

    National Survey: Health Challenges in the United States

    Findings on perceived health differences in America.

    America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?

    This chartbook, America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?, examines the health of children from different socioeconomic backgrounds in every state to document how healthy our nation's children are now and how healthy they could be if we as a nation were realizing our full health potential.

    Overcoming Obstacles to Health

    This RWJF report to the Commission provides evidence describing the current health profile of Americans looking specifically at how income, education, and race and ethnicity play a role in Americans’ health.

  • ISSUE BRIEFS

    Issue Brief: Race and Socioeconomic Factors

    To understand health disparities, it is not enough to consider only race or only socioeconomic factors. Both affect health. This issue brief focuses on disparities in health itself contrasted with the well-documented disparities in health care.

    Issue Brief: Work and Health

    Our work affects our health in many ways – and our health affects our work. This issue brief examines how work influences our health, not only by exposing us to physical conditions that have health effects, but also by providing a setting where healthy activities and behaviors can be promoted.

    Issue Brief: Housing and Health

    This issue brief examines the many ways in which housing can influence health and discusses promising strategies to improve America’s health by ensuring that all Americans have healthy homes.

    Issue Brief: Neighborhoods and Health

    This Commission issue brief examines the current evidence linking neighborhoods and health, the opportunities for Americans to live in healthy neighborhoods, and promising programs and interventions to make neighborhoods healthier places to live, learn and play.

    Issue Brief: Early Childhood Experiences and Health

    This Commission issue brief investigates how the earliest years of our lives set us on paths leading toward—or away from—good health.

    Economic Value of Improving the Health of Disadvantaged Americans

    Technical Report for Overcoming Obstacles to Health: Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Commission to Build a Healthier America