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"But life expectancy is not dependent on just medical care. For example, Texas A&M health economist Robert Ohsfeldt and health economics consultant John Schneider point out that deaths from accidents and homicides in America are much higher than in any other of the developed countries. Taking accidental deaths and homicides between 1980 and 1999 into account, they calculate that instead of being at near the bottom of the list of developed countries, U.S. life expectancy would actually rank at the top."
"But life expectancy is not dependent on just medical care. For example, Texas A&M health economist Robert Ohsfeldt and health economics consultant John Schneider point out that deaths from accidents and homicides in America are much higher than in any other of the developed countries. Taking accidental deaths and homicides between 1980 and 1999 into account, they calculate that instead of being at near the bottom of the list of developed countries, U.S. life expectancy would actually rank at the top."
Interesting that when I look up "gun control and violent crime in the US" from your link, I find this:
Quote:
The Boston Globe reported that the American murder rate, which had fluctuated by about 20 percent between 1974 and 1991, was "in startling free-fall." We have had nine consecutive years of sharply declining violent crime.
Infant mortality means the amount of babies that die after birth.
In the other countries you are talking about, if the babies were dying after a premature birth, then they would still go against their average.
We spend gazillions of dollars on healthcare, and we still aren't number one, in fact we spend more then any other country on the planet.
Not quite.
A few years ago, The Economist magazine cited this in an article. A week later a Dutch doctor wrote a rebuttal and carefully explained that the stats are collected differently in different countries. Believe it or not, but different countries measure infant death differently
Admittedly, I cannot recall the specifics, but the gist was the stats for the US are very skewed.
Some serious research rather than histrionics might elucidate the situation. You could start here:
You would have to examine the underlying factors. High abortion rates, STD's and other behavioral practices can affect the prematurity of babies, a girl having 4 or 5 abortions has damaged her reproductive organs significantly but also what effects do the birth control hormones have on developing girls?
A pregnancy naturally lasts 40 weeks, with or without expensive health care. There are other reasons, these young girls are going into labor too early.
I didn't see high abortion rates listed as a cause of increased infant mortality anywhere. This obviously is important to you. Would you supply some citations or links so we can learn from them?
Infant mortality is widely used as a way to gauge the health of a nation, and the relatively high rates in the United States have long dismayed health officials. Most European countries — as well as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore — have lower rates of infant death than the United States.
Quote:
Dr. Fleischman said the smallest, earliest and most fragile babies were often born to poor and minority women who lacked health care and social support.
Problem with comparing global reports of infant death or any other disease or cause of death across countries is that each country has its own definition of the condition or the demographic. The definition of infant will vary from place to place.
What this means is that medical conditions are coded using different heirachical dictionaries such as Medra, WHO, ICD9.....and then 'translated' to the dictionary used by the agency reporting the statistics. , where for instance chest pain might be classified in a different body system. Muscoloskelatal or cardiovascular. Muscle pain from lifting boxes or angina. So if the primary term 'chest pain' is tabulated it may include muscle pain or pain due to a cardio condition.
This is also a problem when comparing such things as death from firearms in children where the definition of children will vary as well as the coded condition. A condition may be coded to imply different causes and then be excluded. some of this is political in nature, more so in some places than others.
So take these comparisons with a grain of salt.
The relative differences may hold but the don't take the differences as absolute. "Cause statistics for Infant Death:
The following are statistics from various sources about the causes of Infant Death:
10% of cases of infant deaths caused by smoking in the US (American Lung Association)
Top ten causes of infant death:
Number 1 cause of infant death is Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (NVSR Sep 2001)
Number 2 cause of infant death is complications of prematurity or low birthweight (NVSR Sep 2001)
Despite spending more money then any other country on Earth on healthcare, we are 41st in the world in infant mortality.
Best healthcare in the world, if you can afford it.
Funny how those who scream about abortions and babies being killed don't want to fork out the money to make sure they live past birth.
funny how those people that want more entitlements to go to people that do not want to work do not fork over 90%+ of their paychecks to the goverment to help pay for the lifetime welfare mamas.
Infant mortality means the amount of babies that die after birth.
In the other countries you are talking about, if the babies were dying after a premature birth, then they would still go against their average.
We spend gazillions of dollars on healthcare, and we still aren't number one, in fact we spend more then any other country on the planet.
Those are horrible statistics. If they are dying after birth its bcs Americans cant afford proper neonatal care. Probably bcs Blue cross$$ desk jockeys and actuaries dont feel like covering it due to profit lo$$es$
Despite spending more money then any other country on Earth on healthcare, we are 41st in the world in infant mortality.
.
So obviously money is not the solution. Particularly since every pregnant woman in the US can get prenatal care.... free if they cannot afford it.... but many choose not to get it.
These headline grabbing stories are just that.....headlines with no substance. They ignore a multitude of factors such as reporting accuracy and genetics.
Infant mortality means the amount of babies that die after birth.
In the other countries you are talking about, if the babies were dying after a premature birth, then they would still go against their average.
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Every country has their own way of counting.
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comparing data across countries
