(no subject)
In 1998 the U.S. spent $4,178 per capita for healthcare, approximately 40 percent more than the next most expensive country, Switzerland with $2,794 per capita, and almost 75 percent more than Canada’s per capita spending (Mueller, R. 2001. As sick as it gets: the shocking reality of America’s healthcare).
As for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a 2002 estimate again suggested that U.S. healthcare spending was the highest in the world with 14.7 percent of the GDP, about 40 percent more than the second most expensive nation’s spending (LeBow, R. 2003. Health Care Meltdown: Confronting the myths and fixing our failing system. Chambersburg, PA: Alan C. Hood & Company, Inc).
A 2000 report on the world’s healthcare systems by the World Health Organization (WHO) did rank the U.S. first in healthcare spending, but America did not score nearly as highly in other categories. Along with a score of 54th in “fairness” (LeBow), the WHO gave the U.S 37th place for overall quality of the healthcare system, putting the U.S. at the lowest position of any affluent democratic nation (Mueller)
According to the previously mentioned 2004 Commonwealth Fund International survey in which respondents from the U.S. were the most negative in their views of their nation’s healthcare, respondents from the United Kingdom were the most positive. The survey also indicated that citizens from the U.K. under the current healthcare system are more protected from medical bills than any other country surveyed (Gardner, A. 2004, October 28. Patients Report Dissatisfaction With Care. Health Day News. ).
In the midst of a crippling U.S.-led economic blockade and major financial struggles, Cuba has used a socialized model to develop the best health system in Latin America and maintain life expectancy and infant mortality rates comparable to those in significantly wealthier nations like the United States and the United Kingdom. (Nayeri, K. 1995. The Cuban health care system and factors currently undermining it. Journal of Community Health)
World Healthcare Report
1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
.
37 United States
Life Expectancy
United Nations World Population Prospects report
1 Japan
2 Hong Kong
3 Iceland
4 Switzerland
5 Australia
6 Spain
7 Sweden
8 Israel
9 Macau
10 France (metropolitan)
.
33 United Arab Emirates
34 South Korea
.
37 Cuba
38 United States
Low Infant Mortality Rate
United Nations World Population Prospects report
1 Iceland
2 Singapore
3 Japan
4 Sweden
5 Norway
6 Hong Kong
7 Finland
8 Czech Republic
9 Switzerland
10 Korea, South
..
28 Cuba
33 United States