{"id":20115,"date":"2013-01-12T19:05:38","date_gmt":"2013-01-12T18:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/zerohedge\/feed\/~3\/zol25HUhtf4\/story01.htm"},"modified":"2013-01-12T19:05:38","modified_gmt":"2013-01-12T18:05:38","slug":"deaths-from-all-causes-the-short-but-not-necessarily-happy-life-of-americans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/deaths-from-all-causes-the-short-but-not-necessarily-happy-life-of-americans\/","title":{"rendered":"Deaths From All Causes: The Short (But Not Necessarily Happy) Life Of Americans"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Wolf Richter\u00a0 www.testosteronepit.com<\/a>\u00a0 www.amazon.com\/author\/wolfrichter<\/a><\/p>\n

Americans under fifty are paying the price. We don\u2019t know exactly why<\/em>. Even the panel of experts that authored the massive report, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health<\/a>, admits that it can\u2019t entirely pinpoint the reasons. But we do know how<\/em> Americans under fifty, particularly males, are paying the price: with their lives.<\/p>\n

The US health disadvantage, as the report calls it, is more prevalent among \u201csocioeconomically disadvantaged groups.\u201d But even if you\u2019re \u201cwhite, insured, college-educated, or in upper-income groups\u201d and live a healthy lifestyle, you\u2019re less likely to make it to 50 than your counterparts in the other 16 wealthy \u201cpeer\u201d countries of the study\u2013Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. And if you do make it to 50, you\u2019re going to get there in worse shape.<\/p>\n

The report, based on mortality studies for the years through 2008, carves out three categories, \u201cDeaths from Noncommunicable Diseases,\u201d \u201cDeaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions,\u201d and \u201cDeaths from Injuries.\u201d The latter, which I discussed in yesterday\u2019s post<\/a>, distinguished between deaths from \u201cintentional injuries\u201d and \u201cunintentional injuries.\u201d Grisly statistics. [Read…. How Americans Stack Up In Dying From Violence, War, Suicide, And Accidents<\/a>].<\/p>\n

\u201cDeaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions\u201d is divided into dozens of categories and subcategories, and every country has its own nightmare. In Portugal for example, 7.4 people per 100,000 die of HIV\/AIDS<\/a>, more than double the rate of the country next in line, the US (3.4), and 246 times<\/em> the rate of Japan (0.03).<\/p>\n

Do the Japanese cover up their deaths from that scourge by declaring a different cause of death, such as pneumonia? Or is their reliance on condoms for birth control responsible for that immense success, at least in the hetero community? For example, in love hotels, and they\u2019re everywhere, there is always a condom near the bed. One. If you need more, bring your own. One of thousands of tidbits I discovered in Japan\u2013that all became the backdrop to an awesome story. And then a book. It started in France with a Japanese girl. Check it out on Amazon…. BIG LIKE: CASCADE INTO AN ODYSSEY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yet in Japan, 29.7 people per 100,000 die of respiratory infections<\/a>, three times<\/em> the rate in the US (9.7) and almost eight times<\/em> the rate of Finland (3.9). On the other hand, in Japan, with its socialized healthcare system, the infant mortality<\/a> rate is only 1.3 per 100,000. In the US, it\u2019s 7.1. Over five times<\/em> the Japanese rate. By far the worst in the group. But is it an endorsement of socialized healthcare? The second and third worst countries in infant mortality, Canada (5.9) and the UK (5.2), also have socialized healthcare. No easy answers.<\/p>\n

Another conundrum: in deaths due to nutritional deficiencies<\/a>, France<\/em> is in the hot seat with 2.0 deaths per 100,000, twice the US rate (1.0), and way ahead of third place, Finland (0.14).<\/p>\n

Overall<\/a>, Finland has the lowest rate of \u201cDeaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions,\u201d with 11.1 deaths per 100,000 people. On the other end of the spectrum: the US (33.7), the UK (36.1), Japan (40), and Portugal (45.5). So the chance of dying from these diseases in the US is three times higher<\/em> than in Finland; but in Portugal, it\u2019s four times higher<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Non-communicable diseases are the biggest killers. And easy answers remain elusive. For example, melanoma and other skin cancers<\/a> kill 5.8 Australian per 100,000, the worst in the group. So we speculate about the ozone hole<\/a>, the brutal sun, and people spending time on the beach. In Japan, the death rate is 0.47, by far the lowest in the group. So we speculate about people wearing gloves, hats, and protective garments every time they step outside. But then Norway has the second highest rate of deaths (4.7), followed by other northern countries, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The US (2.8) is in the middle of the pack. And sunny Italy (2.0) and Spain (1.8) are outdone only by Japan.<\/p>\n

Wedged between \u201cDeaths from Neuropsychiatric Conditions,\u201d such as unipolar depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and epilepsy are deaths from \u201cAlcohol Use Disorders<\/a>.\u201d Danes succumb to it at a rate of 9.9 per 100,000\u2013not including accidents. Next the French (4.0), the Germans (3.9), and the Austrians (3.9). For the latter two, the culprit may be per-capita beer consumption [Beer, A Reflection Of The World Economy?<\/a>]. The US (1.6) is in the middle of the pack. At the bottom: Spain (0.38), Italy (0.25), and Japan (0.16).<\/p>\n

In another conundrum, Alzheimer and other dementias<\/a> kill Finns at the highest rate (34.9) followed by Americans (24.8)\u2013both countries with relatively low<\/em> life expectancies. At the bottom, Germans (5.9), Austrians (4.4), and the people who live longer than just about anyone else, the Japanese (2.5).<\/p>\n

Cardiovascular diseases<\/a> are a scourge in all wealthy countries, led by Germany (174.9), Finland (163.6), and the US (155.7). Least affected: Mediterranean countries Spain (115.7) and France (99.2), and finally Japan (97.3).<\/p>\n

But there are some areas where Americans are lucky. Stomach cancer<\/a>, for example, kills 2.76 Americans per 100,000, but six times<\/em> more Japanese (16.8); and liver cancer<\/a> kills 3.9 Americans per 100,000, as compared to 11.1 Japanese, almost three times<\/em> more. Overall, non-communicable diseases<\/a> kill Danes at a rate of 440 per 100,000, Americans at a rate of 418, and Japanese, the healthiest in that respect, at a rate of 272.<\/p>\n

So, life expectancy for Americans is ugly:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomething fundamental is going wrong,\u201d lamented<\/a> Dr. Steven Woolf, who chaired the panel. \u201cThis is not the product of a particular administration or political party. Something at the core is causing the U.S. to slip behind these other high-income countries. And it\u2019s getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panel tried to nail down the culprits: a health-care system that leaves millions of people uninsured, the highest rate of poverty, education, eating habits, socioeconomic and behavioral differences, cities built for cars not pedestrians…. But it determined that these reasons cannot adequately explain the differences\u2013because even wealthy, educated, insured whites with healthy lifestyles are getting the short end of the stick.<\/p>\n

And worse: high infant mortality, traffic accidents, violence, HIV and AIDS, and alcohol-related mortality hit younger age groups the hardest\u2013leaving them with a lower probability of surviving to age 50 than their peers in wealthy countries. And the lucky ones who do reach 50 get there \u201cin poorer health than their counterparts.\u201d<\/p>\n

All this despite<\/em> the costliest of all healthcare systems that eats up 18% of GDP. But now anecdotal evidence is coagulating into numbers that weigh down corporate earnings calls. It appears the wily consumer is having second thoughts about prescription drugs. And is fighting back. A paradigm shift that is causing \u201cunprecedented concerns\u201d in the industry. Read…. The Consumer Revolts Against Prescription Drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Wolf Richter   www.testosteronepit.com<\/a>   www.amazon.com\/author\/wolfrichter<\/a><\/p>\n

Americans under fifty are paying the price. We don’t know exactly why<\/em>. Even the panel of experts that authored the massive report, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health<\/a>, admits that it can’t entirely pinpoint the reasons. But we do know how<\/em> Americans under fifty, particularly males, are paying the price: with their lives.<\/p>\n

The US health disadvantage, as the report calls it, is more prevalent among “socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.” But even if you’re “white, insured, college-educated, or in upper-income groups” and live a healthy lifestyle, you’re less likely to make it to 50 than your counterparts in the other 16 wealthy “peer” countries of the study—Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. And if you do make it to 50, you’re going to get there in worse shape.<\/p>\n

The report, based on mortality studies for the years through 2008, carves out three categories, “Deaths from Noncommunicable Diseases,” “Deaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions,” and “Deaths from Injuries.” The latter, which I discussed in yesterday’s post<\/a>, distinguished between deaths from “intentional injuries” and “unintentional injuries.” Grisly statistics. [Read…. How Americans Stack Up In Dying From Violence, War, Suicide, And Accidents<\/a>].<\/p>\n

“Deaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions” is divided into dozens of categories and subcategories, and every country has its own nightmare. In Portugal for example, 7.4 people per 100,000 die of HIV\/AIDS<\/a>, more than double the rate of the country next in line, the US (3.4), and 246 times<\/em> the rate of Japan (0.03).<\/p>\n

Do the Japanese cover up their deaths from that scourge by declaring a different cause of death, such as pneumonia? Or is their reliance on condoms for birth control responsible for that immense success, at least in the hetero community? For example, in love hotels, and they’re everywhere, there is always a condom near the bed. One. If you need more, bring your own. One of thousands of tidbits I discovered in Japan—that all became the backdrop to an awesome story. And then a book. It started in France with a Japanese girl. Check it out on Amazon…. BIG LIKE: CASCADE INTO AN ODYSSEY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yet in Japan, 29.7 people per 100,000 die of respiratory infections<\/a>, three times<\/em> the rate in the US (9.7) and almost eight times<\/em> the rate of Finland (3.9). On the other hand, in Japan, with its socialized healthcare system, the infant mortality<\/a> rate is only 1.3 per 100,000. In the US, it’s 7.1. Over five times<\/em> the Japanese rate. By far the worst in the group. But is it an endorsement of socialized healthcare? The second and third worst countries in infant mortality, Canada (5.9) and the UK (5.2), also have socialized healthcare. No easy answers.<\/p>\n

Another conundrum: in deaths due to nutritional deficiencies<\/a>, France<\/em> is in the hot seat with 2.0 deaths per 100,000, twice the US rate (1.0), and way ahead of third place, Finland (0.14).<\/p>\n

Overall<\/a>, Finland has the lowest rate of “Deaths from Communicable, Maternal, Perinatal, Nutritional Conditions,” with 11.1 deaths per 100,000 people. On the other end of the spectrum: the US (33.7), the UK (36.1), Japan (40), and Portugal (45.5). So the chance of dying from these diseases in the US is three times higher<\/em> than in Finland; but in Portugal, it’s four times higher<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Non-communicable diseases are the biggest killers. And easy answers remain elusive. For example, melanoma and other skin cancers<\/a> kill 5.8 Australian per 100,000, the worst in the group. So we speculate about the ozone hole<\/a>, the brutal sun, and people spending time on the beach. In Japan, the death rate is 0.47, by far the lowest in the group. So we speculate about people wearing gloves, hats, and protective garments every time they step outside. But then Norway has the second highest rate of deaths (4.7), followed by other northern countries, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The US (2.8) is in the middle of the pack. And sunny Italy (2.0) and Spain (1.8) are outdone only by Japan.<\/p>\n

Wedged between “Deaths from Neuropsychiatric Conditions,” such as unipolar depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and epilepsy are deaths from “Alcohol Use Disorders<\/a>.” Danes succumb to it at a rate of 9.9 per 100,000—not including accidents. Next the French (4.0), the Germans (3.9), and the Austrians (3.9). For the latter two, the culprit may be per-capita beer consumption [Beer, A Reflection Of The World Economy?<\/a>]. The US (1.6) is in the middle of the pack. At the bottom: Spain (0.38), Italy (0.25), and Japan (0.16).<\/p>\n

In another conundrum, Alzheimer and other dementias<\/a> kill Finns at the highest rate (34.9) followed by Americans (24.8)—both countries with relatively low<\/em> life expectancies. At the bottom, Germans (5.9), Austrians (4.4), and the people who live longer than just about anyone else, the Japanese (2.5).<\/p>\n

Cardiovascular diseases<\/a> are a scourge in all wealthy countries, led by Germany (174.9), Finland (163.6), and the US (155.7). Least affected: Mediterranean countries Spain (115.7) and France (99.2), and finally Japan (97.3).<\/p>\n

But there are some areas where Americans are lucky. Stomach cancer<\/a>, for example, kills 2.76 Americans per 100,000, but six times<\/em> more Japanese (16.8); and liver cancer<\/a> kills 3.9 Americans per 100,000, as compared to 11.1 Japanese, almost three times<\/em> more. Overall, non-communicable diseases<\/a> kill Danes at a rate of 440 per 100,000, Americans at a rate of 418, and Japanese, the healthiest in that respect, at a rate of 272.<\/p>\n

So, life expectancy for Americans is ugly:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

“Something fundamental is going wrong,” lamented<\/a> Dr. Steven Woolf, who chaired the panel. “This is not the product of a particular administration or political party. Something at the core is causing the U.S. to slip behind these other high-income countries. And it’s getting worse.”<\/p>\n

The panel tried to nail down the culprits: a health-care system that leaves millions of people uninsured, the highest rate of poverty, education, eating habits, socioeconomic and behavioral differences, cities built for cars not pedestrians…. But it determined that these reasons cannot adequately explain the differences—because even wealthy, educated, insured whites with healthy lifestyles are getting the short end of the stick.<\/p>\n

And worse: high infant mortality, traffic accidents, violence, HIV and AIDS, and alcohol-related mortality hit younger age groups the hardest—leaving them with a lower probability of surviving to age 50 than their peers in wealthy countries. And the lucky ones who do reach 50 get there “in poorer health than their counterparts.”<\/p>\n

All this despite<\/em> the costliest of all healthcare systems that eats up 18% of GDP. But now anecdotal evidence is coagulating into numbers that weigh down corporate earnings calls. It appears the wily consumer is having second thoughts about prescription drugs. And is fighting back. A paradigm shift that is causing “unprecedented concerns” in the industry. Read…. The Consumer Revolts Against Prescription Drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n