Why health in America is worse than in other countries
A recent report of over 400 pages of the Higher Council for Scientific Research and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences ("US Health under International Perspective: shorter lives, worse health") found that children, Men and women have a shorter life expectancy in the United States than in Japan, Canada, Australia and 13 European countries. Some comments from the media on the report accuse what they consider a costly and inefficient American health care system. However, the report shows that many, perhaps most, of the reasons why American life expectancy is so low is to refer to decisions of personal life style, not health care.
US it was worse than these 16 countries in nine categories of health:
1. Infant mortality and survival to 5 years.
2. Death by car accident and suicide.
3. Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
4. Prevalence of HIV infection and AIDS
in May. Death by drinking alcohol and illegal drug use.
6. Chronic lung disease.
7. Obesity and diabetes.
8. Arthritis disability and other factors
. 9 CVD
Most of these categories are related to lifestyle choices rather than health care. For example, US deaths from traffic accidents are higher, mainly because Americans drive more, as the report shows that deaths per mile are no greater in the United States. Firearms are far more common and violence is much higher in the US than in these other countries. Deaths from lung diseases are more regular because smoking was a common habit here in the past. Americans are much more likely to use cocaine and other drugs. Americans are much fatter than other individuals in these countries contributes to the higher incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The highest incidence of infant mortality may be due in part to poor medical care for pregnant mothers with economic problems. However, this difference in mortality is also likely taking into account in particular the personal conduct of these pregnant mothers who may be more relevant than any limited to good medical care.
The age structure of US mortality rates also implies that many of these high rates are not due to a poor-quality healthcare. The elderly are the recipients of a noticeable fraction of health spending in all rich countries. Particularly more than 35% of health spending in the United States for people over 65 is engaged. A National Research Council shows that mortality rates of America are among the highest in less than 55 years age, but these death rates begin to change rapidly after that age. The US mortality is on average among the countries surveyed in more than seventy people, and is relatively less than the age of 60.
However, it should be said that although the US spend more per capital on health care than does any other country, the fact that American life expectancy look good at older ages does not mean that these costs are allocated wisely or efficiently. Ways to improve the efficiency of US spending on health care are treated in several of our previous blog publications (the latest is on 6 January).
Although most of the difference in life expectancy between the US and these 16 countries is due to the difference in personal behavior, public policy should try to change some of this behavior. For example, more rigid for driving while intoxicated may reduce the incidence of intoxicated drivers, one of the main causes of traffic fatalities in the country sanctions. Increased penalties for illegal possession of firearms and the use of firearms to commit crimes, like controls more judicious and strict weapons, can reduce deaths from firearms, although there would be some increases in stabbings and other types violence in compensation. The decriminalization of drugs would reduce the rate of addiction and possibly even the number of drug addicts, while increase visits to rehabilitation clinics and reduce the incidence of AIDS through sharing contaminated needles (see co-written essay for me and Kevin Murphy, "Have we lost the war on drugs?" Wall Street Journal, January 5, 2013).
It's hard to decide what to do with the fact that many Americans are overweight and obese are. A recent review of the evidence found in several countries shows that excess weight as measured by body mass index (weight divided by height squared), does not result in higher mortality rates, except in cases of BMI values very high and very low (a thesis at the University of Chicago under the supervision of Robert Fogged had already proved this). These studies implicitly expressed that add taxes and regulations to fast food to discourage consumption mainly affect people whose eating patterns do not reduce their life expectancy, although overweight people make greater demands modestly subsidized health system.
Lower life expectancy in young and middle-aged Americans compared with other countries is a matter of concern for public policy, but wise policies require precise knowledge about their causes. The extensive study by the National Research Council suggests that the main causes lie in the differences in lifestyles between Americans and people from other countries. Reduced access to some Americans to appropriate medical care seems to be of little importance.
By Narazu
A recent report of over 400 pages of the Higher Council for Scientific Research and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences ("US Health under International Perspective: shorter lives, worse health") found that children, Men and women have a shorter life expectancy in the United States than in Japan, Canada, Australia and 13 European countries. Some comments from the media on the report accuse what they consider a costly and inefficient American health care system. However, the report shows that many, perhaps most, of the reasons why American life expectancy is so low is to refer to decisions of personal life style, not health care.
US it was worse than these 16 countries in nine categories of health:
1. Infant mortality and survival to 5 years.
2. Death by car accident and suicide.
3. Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
4. Prevalence of HIV infection and AIDS
in May. Death by drinking alcohol and illegal drug use.
6. Chronic lung disease.
7. Obesity and diabetes.
8. Arthritis disability and other factors
. 9 CVD
Most of these categories are related to lifestyle choices rather than health care. For example, US deaths from traffic accidents are higher, mainly because Americans drive more, as the report shows that deaths per mile are no greater in the United States. Firearms are far more common and violence is much higher in the US than in these other countries. Deaths from lung diseases are more regular because smoking was a common habit here in the past. Americans are much more likely to use cocaine and other drugs. Americans are much fatter than other individuals in these countries contributes to the higher incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The highest incidence of infant mortality may be due in part to poor medical care for pregnant mothers with economic problems. However, this difference in mortality is also likely taking into account in particular the personal conduct of these pregnant mothers who may be more relevant than any limited to good medical care.
The age structure of US mortality rates also implies that many of these high rates are not due to a poor-quality healthcare. The elderly are the recipients of a noticeable fraction of health spending in all rich countries. Particularly more than 35% of health spending in the United States for people over 65 is engaged. A National Research Council shows that mortality rates of America are among the highest in less than 55 years age, but these death rates begin to change rapidly after that age. The US mortality is on average among the countries surveyed in more than seventy people, and is relatively less than the age of 60.
However, it should be said that although the US spend more per capital on health care than does any other country, the fact that American life expectancy look good at older ages does not mean that these costs are allocated wisely or efficiently. Ways to improve the efficiency of US spending on health care are treated in several of our previous blog publications (the latest is on 6 January).
Although most of the difference in life expectancy between the US and these 16 countries is due to the difference in personal behavior, public policy should try to change some of this behavior. For example, more rigid for driving while intoxicated may reduce the incidence of intoxicated drivers, one of the main causes of traffic fatalities in the country sanctions. Increased penalties for illegal possession of firearms and the use of firearms to commit crimes, like controls more judicious and strict weapons, can reduce deaths from firearms, although there would be some increases in stabbings and other types violence in compensation. The decriminalization of drugs would reduce the rate of addiction and possibly even the number of drug addicts, while increase visits to rehabilitation clinics and reduce the incidence of AIDS through sharing contaminated needles (see co-written essay for me and Kevin Murphy, "Have we lost the war on drugs?" Wall Street Journal, January 5, 2013).
It's hard to decide what to do with the fact that many Americans are overweight and obese are. A recent review of the evidence found in several countries shows that excess weight as measured by body mass index (weight divided by height squared), does not result in higher mortality rates, except in cases of BMI values very high and very low (a thesis at the University of Chicago under the supervision of Robert Fogged had already proved this). These studies implicitly expressed that add taxes and regulations to fast food to discourage consumption mainly affect people whose eating patterns do not reduce their life expectancy, although overweight people make greater demands modestly subsidized health system.
Lower life expectancy in young and middle-aged Americans compared with other countries is a matter of concern for public policy, but wise policies require precise knowledge about their causes. The extensive study by the National Research Council suggests that the main causes lie in the differences in lifestyles between Americans and people from other countries. Reduced access to some Americans to appropriate medical care seems to be of little importance.
By Narazu
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