Canadians healthier, outliving Americans: study

[marmar]

Canadians healthier, outliving Americans: study
Universal health care seen as important factor in higher quality of life

Last Updated: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 | 8:02 PM ET

CBC News


Canadians tend to lead longer, healthier lives than Americans on average, say researchers who point to lack of universal health care in the U.S. as one reason.

The study in Thursday's online issue in BioMed Central's journal Population Health Metrics was based on data from the 2002-03 Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health, which offered comparable data on the health of the population in both countries.

David Feeny, a dual Canadian/U.S. citizen and investigator at the Center for Health Research at Kaiser Permanente Northwest in Portland, Ore., and his U.S. colleagues calculated health-adjusted life expectancy, which takes into account not only mortality risk but also the health-related quality of life, such as being free of disability.

The study's authors found a 19-year-old in Canada could expect to enjoy 2.7 more years of perfect health than a 19-year-old in the U.S. In this case, someone in perfect health would have a top score of 1.00 on the Health Utilities Index Mark 3.

The index lowers an individual's score depending on their level of disability in eight areas: vision, hearing, speech, ambulation dexterity or ability to move, emotion, cognition, pain and discomfort. The lowest score is 0.00 for death. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/04/28/health-life-expectancy-canada-us.html

[Historic NY]

1. Some here will still say Socialized Medicine is bad.

[Captain Hilts]

2. They can afford preventive medicine. nt

[Monk06]

3. I was just released from a week in St. Paul's hospital in Vancouver BC

Eight days in hospital, CT scan, brain and spinal EEG, TWO MRIs (yes the MRIs that we supposedly can't get in Canada),
a Spinal Tap (DP), fifteen blood tests for glucose, liver function, electrolytes, plus Prednizone IV for three days and oral Prednizone prescription on release.

Cost = $0.00

I was admitted on emergency fast track with vision failing in both eyes. Testing revealed no auto immune anomalies, no bacterial or viral infection but inflammation of the optical nerve. The tentative diagnosis is diet toxicity and vitamin B deficiency.

That socialized medicine sure sucks. (not rubbing it in my American friends, just givin the facts)

[Posteritatis]

4. Yay for the service, boo for its necessity. (nt)

[Monk06]

5. Tanks. My vision is normal now after a week and a half. Take your vitamins and don't drink before

going to bed. At least not on a regular bssis.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Canada is civilized.