According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system. To see the abstract, click on Insuring America’s Health: Principles and Recommendations.
Politifact researched health care differences between Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the U.S: Who provides the health insurance: private companies in all three countries “the insurers are indeed private, profit-seeking companies” Who has universal coverage: Switzerland and the Netherlands “As for the number of uninsured Americans, the most commonly cited number is 46 million.” Spending: the […Full Article]
BMI is an index commonly used to classify underweight, normal, overweight, and obese adults. According to the World Health Organization, it is calculated by “weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres (kg/m2). For example, an adult who weighs 70kg and whose height is 1.75m will have a BMI of 22.9.” […Full Article]
The U.S ranks #46 out of 223 countries, according to the CIA, in longest lifespan. The lower the ranking number the better. Other countries in the rankings: Macau #1 (the longest life expectancy) Japan #3 France #9 Lebanon #101 Vietnam #127 Cambodia #176 Swaziland #223 (the shortest life expectancy) To read the entire article, click […Full Article]
The U.S ranks #181 out of 222 countries, according to the CIA, in lowest infant mortality. The higher the ranking number the better. Other countries in the rankings: Singapore #222 (the lowest infant mortality) France #216 United Kingdom #193 Canada #190 Saudi Arabia #144 South Africa #59 Angola #1 (the highest infant mortality) To read […Full Article]
Ray Suarez in NewsHour in October 2009 reported comparisons of different countries’ health care systems. To read the entire article, click on Comparing International Health Care Systems.
The World Health Organization said the following: “The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance, the report finds. The United Kingdom, which spends just six percent of GDP on health services, ranks 18 th . […Full Article]
The Milken Institute in October 2007 also performed a study on the cost of chronic disease to the U.S. economy. The report covered seven common chronic diseases: cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions. Their major findings included: The economic impact in the U.S. in 2003 (in billions of dollars) for […Full Article]
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in May 2002 performed a study on the cost of not covering the uninsured and the consequences of being uninsured. Their major findings included: Health insurance reduces mortality rates, meaning a person with health insurance will have a longer lifespan, by 10-15%. “The combination of less ability to work […Full Article]
Researchers at the Kellogg School mentioned that “medical expenses contribute to less than 20 percent of all bankruptcies.” To read the entire article, click on Medical Costs Contribute To Fewer Than One In Five Bankruptcies, Say Kellogg Management School Researchers. Researchers at Northwestern University mentioned that “medical bills are a contributing factor in just 17 […Full Article]