U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In...

U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In Health Report

"Among the countries studied, the United States was in last place or close to last in nine key benchmark areas.

They were: infant mortality and low birth weight; injuries and homicides; teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections; prevalence of HIV and AIDS; drug-related deaths; obesity and diabetes; heart disease; chronic lung disease; and disability."

RICHARD KNOX - npr

It's no news that the U.S. has lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality than most high-income countries. But a magisterial new report says Americans are actually less healthy across their entire life spans than citizens of 16 other wealthy nations.

And the gap is steadily widening.

"What struck us - and it was quite sobering - was the recurring trend in which the U.S. seems to be slipping behind other high-income countries," the lead author of the report, Dr. Steven Woolf, tells Shots.

He says Americans of all ages up to 75 have shorter lives and more illness and injury. (An interactive graphic displaying the main results can be found here.)

Strikingly, even Americans who are white, insured, college-educated and upper-income are worse off than their counterparts around the world - a finding that no one quite understands.

"People with seemingly everything going for ...

Larry M. Jan 10, 2013, 12:43pm UTC

So we have the most expensive health care system in the world and some of the worst health outcomes of the wealthy nations. Are we dumb as a post or are some big money interests allowing millions to die and be ill unnecessarily so they can gain more money? Both? Neither?

Jim Marshall Jan 10, 2013, 1:04pm UTC

My wife and I are both retired with limited incomes. We have $110 dollars out of SS checks for medicare plus $600 between us a month for supplementals. This system is broken.

Larry M. Jan 10, 2013, 1:13pm UTC

Badly, stupidly, almost criminally broken.

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Marty S. Jan 10, 2013, 1:25pm UTC

I don't know that it is as bad as this article says. Yes, there could be greater availability of unhealthy substances to ingest. Yes, people may be more willing to play with fire. Some people will get burned. Making poor decisions can lead one to have a less than pleasant experience. Some times, the decisions are made because one does not know of the better possibilities, but sometimes, one makes the bad decisions even when one knows about the high likelihood of undesirable outcomes.

Clarke M. Jan 10, 2013, 1:59pm UTC

The high rate of suicide and violent death in the US indicates the society is unhealthy.

Marty S. Jan 10, 2013, 2:26pm UTC

More people probably die in motor vehicles. Does that mean Motor Vehicles are bad? I'd contend not. Suicide is probably a result of people not seeing that things will improve if given enough time. Some have said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Nothing per se about society is unhealthy as relates to violence and suicide rates. How many Japanese Pilots killed themselves at the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Yes, we should care about everyone's mental health, and we should encourage self-actualization, pursuit of happiness, but there are many things which tend to get in the way of reaching enlightenment.

Clarke M. Jan 10, 2013, 9:18pm UTC

A sick society destroys itself.

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U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In Health Report

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