"The United States ranks last among 16 high-income nations on preventable deaths and could save as many as 84,000 lives a year if it lowered its preventable death rate to that of the top three nations, a new study says.
Between 1997-98 and 2006-07, other nations lowered their preventable death rates an average of 31 percent. The U.S. rate declined only 20 percent, from 120 to 96 per 100,000.
By the end of those 10 years, the preventable death rate in the United States was nearly twice that of France, which had the lowest rate (55 per 100,000), according to the Commonwealth Fund-supported study. Australia and Italy had the second and third lowest rates.
The United States' poor ranking may be due to "the lack of universal [health insurance] coverage and high costs of care," said the study authors, who analyzed deaths before age 75 from causes such as treatable cancer, diabetes, childhood infections/respiratory diseases, and complications from surgery.
The study appears in the November print issue of the journal Health Policy.
"This study points to substantial opportunity to prevent premature death in the United States. We spend far more than any of the comparison countries -- up to twice as much -- yet are improving less rapidly," Commonwealth Fund Senior Vice President Cathy Schoen said in a Commonwealth news release.
"The good news is we know lower death rates are achievable if we enhance access and ensure high-quality care regardless of where you live. Looking forward, reforms under the Affordable Care Act have the potential to reduce the number of preventable deaths in the U.S. We have the potential to join the leaders among high-income countries," she added."
The study is not available online yet--the November issue has yet to be published.
As for ranking dead last in preventable deaths, there are a few reasons for it:
1. The government WANTS some of us to die off--this is their form of population control, and getting out of having to provide Medicare and cut Social Security checks later in life, thereby reducing the debt burden. This also cuts down on the number of times a vote has to be taken, and money spent to extend the unemployment funds--like Europe, they can't afford to keep paying your way forever. They want your money and power over you, but not the bills that come along with them.
2. Our country is a hell of a lot larger than the three top countries on the list, even combined, and we have a different culture--they have better foodways, more wine consumption, and more walking in their daily lives than we do. They also rely on public transportation more than we do, because they have SENSIBLE SYSTEMS to do the job.
3. We have more liberties, more choice, and make more money (or rather, are taxed less) than the people in the top three countries, so we're free to do what we will with our money, including stuffing our faces with fast food, or even driving drunk. Our government is well on its way to subsidizing the fast food, and has been in the business of subsidizing the ingredients for decades now. Convenience has its costs, and one day people will make the connection, but for now, the government hopes they don't (see reason #1).
...and we wonder how we end up being over-treated (see next article below)--now some doctor somewhere thinks that to prevent deaths, you must provide more care! No, the answer (as usual) is less care--less is always more. Less safety net means more PERSONAL responsibility. We already have a swaying hammock of safety net around here!
All the universal coverage in the world isn't going to make up for poor choice-making. One day we will become like those other countries, and we too will have to nail down all four corners of our doormats to satisfy the national no-trip policy (like Britain does now). There isn't enough societal bubble wrap available around here for this!
Notice nowhere in the article does it mention FOOD CHOICES as a primary preventative measure. France, Italy, and Australia eat a whole lot less fast food than we do, and their available food has a more definite organic origin than ours. Our decent food is reserved for those who can pay for it...and for those who don't have to (like current occupants of--and visiting dignitaries to--the White House). Change our agricultural practices (both on the farm and in the political chamber), and you might make a dent in those preventable deaths.
This is why organic food is worth every penny you pay for it. When you grow, hunt, and fish your own (from trusted sources), or barter with someone else who does, it becomes even cheaper--sometimes cheaper than the conventional stuff.
This is what happens when you give up quality for quantity and price. I bet those other countries don't have this problem. And Europe wonders how it got into the crisis it's currently in...exactly as we did--by removing the requirement for personal responsibility. They moved from the classic Liberalism (Republicanism) to the modern form (Democratism), because people learned how to vote themselves more largesse from the Treasury (or Exchequer, if you will). Now, even the politicians are in on the game, because what happens when they leave office? They become subject to the rules of the game they rigged, so they rig it in their favor while they have the chance.
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