Can state-level NSDUH estimates be used to rank states?

In general, states cannot be simply ranked using state estimates alone. To make direct comparisons between states (i.e., to determine whether they are mathematically different from one another), p-value tables should be used. P-value tables also allow comparisons to state and regional averages.

In our online map tool and published maps, the colors (quintiles) that are shown should not be used to directly compare states.  While maps are technically based on a ranked list, these categorizations do not indicate a statistically significant difference between any two particular states.

A quintile is a statistical value that represents one-fifth (20%) of the range of values in a data set. For example, the first map quintile (color) includes the 10 states with the lowest prevalence of a particular outcome; the second includes the next 10, and so on. The purpose of these maps is to give a broad picture of how outcomes are distributed nationally; there are no direct comparisons made between individual states. For instance, a map might show that the highest quintile states are clustered in one particular region of the country.