Does the United States have the best health care in the world?
Although common sense suggests determining which country has the best health care system is no simple task, a quick peak at World Health Organization statistics suggests different countries may make that claim.
It depends what you’re looking at.
For instance, in terms of healthy life expectancy at birth, the United States, at 69, towers over some countries like Angola, 33, Congo, 46, and Russia and Iran, 58.
But Canada, 72, Austria and Belguim, 71, France and Germany, 72, Sweden, 73, and Japan, 75, all have longer life expectancies than the United States.
Neighboring Mexico comes in with a healthy life expectancy of 65 years in the 2003 statistics.
Another often cited indicator of health care availability is infant mortality per 1,000 live births.
Plainly, this again is a complex barometer.
But again also, the indicator suggests things may not be as clear cut as some have suggested.
The United States, easily believed, towers over many countries — Angola, 154 deaths per 1,000 live births, Liberia, 157, Afghanistan, 165 — with its 7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
But according to the World Heath Organization, Japan, Cuba, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Greece, Norway, the Neatherlands — all have lower infant mortality rates the United States.
Mexico records 29 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
The statistics cited were for 2006.
Dunno what numbers you used, but Life Expectancy is 78 years in the US. Black Males have a 69 year life expectancy, the shortest of any demographic. Several Countries do have longer, though.
Life expectancy is a complicated factor. Should we really consider all the gangbangers getting shot in cities as a factor in measuring healthcare because it brings down average life expectancy? That’s a Culture issue, not healthcare issue. The biggest factor in life expectancy is lifestyle choices, not healthcare. Healthcare tries to fix the results of our poor lifestyle choices.
Infant deaths are measured differently in other countries, and ironically because our healthcare is so good, babies that never would have made it to birth are now born, and some then die after birth – again affecting our statistics on infant mortality.
Healthcare measurements should measure outcomes IF YOU NEEDED CARE. For example if you get cancer, what is the survival rate and length? The US is generally far and away better than other countries if you measure healthcare this way. That’s why people from around the world come here for healthcare. Generally US Citizens only go elsewhere to try experimental procedures not yet approved here, not because they get better care.
Is this a joke? I’ve never seen a Budig blog as a joke before, but is this the first?
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html
America was ranked 37th in the world in health care in 2000, but they stopped evaluating the issue because of its complexity. However, the 2000 assessment of the USA’s health care system was widely accepted and nothing that has happened since should suggest its ranking in the world today should have gone up.
Please, please, please talk to your doctor about making health lifestyle choices, as misterc suggests. Because lifestyle choices are often cultural issues, some are religious issues, but ultaimtely they are personal decisions. If you don’t want to government telling you what you can and can’t eat (i.e. taxing the *bleep* out of fast foods), then be smart! I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t eat a frozen pizza if you want one or get a burger from a fast food place from time to time, but pace yourself, watch your weight and try to be the healthiest you possible. If not for you, for those who love you.
http://smartgirlnation.com/2009/06/01/popular-ranking-unfairly-misrepresents-the-us-health-care-system/
I wanted to add this link if you want an intelligent conservative opinion on the WHO rankings.
I tend to disagree with the author, as I feel socialized medicine correctly defines health care as a God-given (imagine me laughing at how ironic it is that I use that phrase) right. In my opinion, a free market economy has its rightful place in society. But basic health care should not be subject to profit margins.