Here is a web site with some interesting, and often surprising, statistics:
On the health front:
Average life expectancy–the US is way down there at #45, while in most African nations, I would be dead by now.
Fattest countries in the world (Woo hoo! #9!)
Public health expenditures–The United States is surprisingly high on that list. However, I think this also implies that we have a higher number of people at risk and requiring public health care, more than it implies we take good care of people.
Divorce rates–Don’t move to Belarus if you want your marriage to survive, apparently.
Birth control use–Who knew that Brazil had the highest female sterilization rate?
Economically speaking:
Worldwide unemployment rates–Check out Uzbekistan!
Technology adoption–Not sure where Squitzerland is but they sure do love their computers.
Economic statistics by country–The rate of inflation in Zimbabwe is insane. What are we all complaining about?
Military expenditures–Finally, we are #1 in something.
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
The health expenditures have a great deal to do with the inherent inefficiency of profit-driven health care.
February 23rd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Also, wouldn’t “public health” be the offices dealing with things like epidemics (AIDS etc) and hepatitis outbreaks, for example? Perhaps it also includes Medicaid. But I’m guessing it doesn’t include health insurance and the like.
Either way…it’s a messed up system.
February 23rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
But clearly we need to avoid the mistakes other systems have made if and when we implement universal coverage.