US State Policy Contexts and Population Health

This perspective highlights the tectonic changes in US states’ policy contexts in recent decades and their profound impact on population health. It discusses key interlocking forces—the political investments of wealthy individuals and organizations and the nationalization of political parties—that spurred changes in states’ contexts. We then speculate about key policy areas, namely voting, civil, and reproductive rights, that will be at the center of the continued polarization in state policy contexts over the next decade. We conclude with recommendations for future research on the role of state policy contexts on population health; provide thoughts on how to improve communications between researchers, policymakers, and the public; and outline policy priorities.