Saturday, August 15, 2009
HEALTH CARE - COMPARE THE WORLD
I must admit to a lack of expertise on health care & doubt if there is an answer that achieves perfection. After all perfection in health care would be everybody surviving forever & while I have blogged on aging research I don't see that happening soon.
However this listing of worldwide life expectancy seems to me to a good starting point for anybody looking at what works (I have removed the postage stamp countries where statistics are distorted):
3. Japan 82.02 years
4. Singapore 81.80 years
6. Hong Kong 81.68 years
7. Sweden 80.63 years
8. Australia 80.62 years
Switzerland 80.62 years
10. France 80.59 years
12. Canada 80.34 years
14. Italy 79.94 years
17. Spain 79.78 years
18. Norway 79.67 years
19. Israel 79.59 years
20. Greece 79.38 years
21. Austria 79.21 years
24. Netherlands 79.11 years
25. Luxembourg 79.03 years
26. New Zealand 78.96 years
27. Germany 78.95 years
28. Belgium 78.92 years
29. United Kingdom 78.70 years
30. Finland 78.66 years
32. Jordan 78.55 years
33. Puerto Rico 78.54 years
34. Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.17 years
37. United States 78.00 years
38. Cyprus 77.98 years
39. Denmark 77.96 years
40. Ireland 77.90 years
41. Portugal 77.87 years
42. Albania 77.60 years
43. Taiwan 77.56 years
46. Korea, South 77.23 years
47. Costa Rica 77.21 years
48. Cuba 77.08 years
49. Chile 76.96 years
50. Libya 76.88 years
52. Ecuador 76.62 years
53. Slovenia 76.53 years
54. Czech Republic 76.42 years
55. Argentina 76.32 years
57. Georgia 76.30 years
60. Uruguay 75.93 years
61. Saudi Arabia 75.88 years
62. United Arab Emirates 75.69 years
63. Mexico 75.63 years
64. Paraguay 75.34 years
Tunisia 75.34 years
67. Panama 75.19 years
Poland 75.19 years
69. Dominica 75.10 years
70. Serbia 75.06 years
71. Slovakia 74.95 years
72. Croatia 74.90 years
74. Sri Lanka 74.80 years
While there is a correlation with GNP it isn't all that close. However the US at 37 compared to 7th in GNP is clearly missing something. The UK at 29th & 26th respectively has nothing to boast about. Japan at 3rd/21st & Singapore at 4th/27th look like the ones we should be learning from. Dan Hannan at the centre of a media storm here as "unpatriotic" for not saying our health service is wonderful speaks of learning from Singapore. Hong Kong at 6th/12th & France at 10th/28th both score well.
It is also worth noting that 74th place Sri lanka is still achieving 91% of the life expectancy of Japan with only 14% of its per capita GNP & this is reflected across the board. It suggests that no matter how good or bad health care is it doesn't have that much effect.
However this listing of worldwide life expectancy seems to me to a good starting point for anybody looking at what works (I have removed the postage stamp countries where statistics are distorted):
3. Japan 82.02 years
4. Singapore 81.80 years
6. Hong Kong 81.68 years
7. Sweden 80.63 years
8. Australia 80.62 years
Switzerland 80.62 years
10. France 80.59 years
12. Canada 80.34 years
14. Italy 79.94 years
17. Spain 79.78 years
18. Norway 79.67 years
19. Israel 79.59 years
20. Greece 79.38 years
21. Austria 79.21 years
24. Netherlands 79.11 years
25. Luxembourg 79.03 years
26. New Zealand 78.96 years
27. Germany 78.95 years
28. Belgium 78.92 years
29. United Kingdom 78.70 years
30. Finland 78.66 years
32. Jordan 78.55 years
33. Puerto Rico 78.54 years
34. Bosnia and Herzegovina 78.17 years
37. United States 78.00 years
38. Cyprus 77.98 years
39. Denmark 77.96 years
40. Ireland 77.90 years
41. Portugal 77.87 years
42. Albania 77.60 years
43. Taiwan 77.56 years
46. Korea, South 77.23 years
47. Costa Rica 77.21 years
48. Cuba 77.08 years
49. Chile 76.96 years
50. Libya 76.88 years
52. Ecuador 76.62 years
53. Slovenia 76.53 years
54. Czech Republic 76.42 years
55. Argentina 76.32 years
57. Georgia 76.30 years
60. Uruguay 75.93 years
61. Saudi Arabia 75.88 years
62. United Arab Emirates 75.69 years
63. Mexico 75.63 years
64. Paraguay 75.34 years
Tunisia 75.34 years
67. Panama 75.19 years
Poland 75.19 years
69. Dominica 75.10 years
70. Serbia 75.06 years
71. Slovakia 74.95 years
72. Croatia 74.90 years
74. Sri Lanka 74.80 years
While there is a correlation with GNP it isn't all that close. However the US at 37 compared to 7th in GNP is clearly missing something. The UK at 29th & 26th respectively has nothing to boast about. Japan at 3rd/21st & Singapore at 4th/27th look like the ones we should be learning from. Dan Hannan at the centre of a media storm here as "unpatriotic" for not saying our health service is wonderful speaks of learning from Singapore. Hong Kong at 6th/12th & France at 10th/28th both score well.
It is also worth noting that 74th place Sri lanka is still achieving 91% of the life expectancy of Japan with only 14% of its per capita GNP & this is reflected across the board. It suggests that no matter how good or bad health care is it doesn't have that much effect.
Labels: International politics
