Adults in England are healthier than their US counterparts
Middle-aged men and women in England are healthier than their US counterparts, a study suggests (JAMA 2006;
295:2037).
Researchers looked at biological disease markers and self-reported diseases
in over 15,000 people aged 40–70 years in England and the US. Among
those aged 55–64 years, diabetes prevalence was twice as high in
the US population (12.5 per cent compared with 6.1 per cent). Only a
fifth of this difference could be explained by higher prevalences of
common risk factors, the authors say.
In addition, all forms of cardiovascular diseases had self-reported prevalences
considerably higher in the US than in England. Hypertension was more
common (42.4 per cent compared with 33.8 per cent) as was all heart disease
(15.1 per cent compared with 9.6 per cent), the researchers found.
Part of the reason for this difference may lie, the authors suggest,
in the greater relationship between socioeconomic status and health in
the US. New onset of disease has a relatively large impact on family
income and wealth in the US, whereas in England programmes have been
set up to isolate individuals from the economic consequences of poor
health in terms of medical expenditure and especially earnings and wealth
reduction, they argue. “The more generous UK income maintenance
system should mitigate any effects of health changes on income and wealth
compared with what is available in the US,” they add. |
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