Health in Europe-a view from across the Atlantic

摘要

From a North American perspective, it is irresistible to extend cross-national comparisons from The Lancet Series on Health in Europe to include the USA, particularly in light of a 2013 US National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (NRC/IOM) report showing that, for most health indicators and all ages to 75 years, the USA ranks worst or among the worst of 17 similarly affluent countries (including 15 in western Europe). The US health disadvantage was noted across diverse indicators including life expectancy (figure); prematurity and low birthweight; infant, child, and maternal mortality; incidence of and mortality from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, infectious disease, and unintentional and intentional injury; and disability. If the USA had been included in the Series, it would have ranked close to the eastern European countries on most indicators.