Home --> Background --> Health Disparities in the United States
|
Health Disparities in the United States |
|
IN THIS SECTION:
- Health Profile of the United States - Health Disparities |
This section provides a snapshot of the health rankings of the United States. The indicators of inequity however are complex in nature and must be interpreted with caution. An in-depth discussion of the limitations of this research can be found in Section 7 of the guide.
|
Clarifying Terms: The use of 'Health Disparity', 'Health Inequality' and 'Health Inequity'
Health Profile of the United States
The average life expectancy in the United States has increased substantially over the past century to an estimated 79.6 years in 2014 (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). However, this places the U.S. 42nd in the world, despite being one of the wealthiest developed countries. The U.S. also ranks near the bottom among wealthy developed countries, and some developing countries, in infant mortality - which is another indicator frequently used to describe the overall health of a population. The U.S. ranks 169th in the world, with an infant mortality rate of approximately six per 1,000, which equates to approximately 25,000 infant deaths per year (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). |
Of particular concern is that these indicators are moving in the wrong direction, with the U.S. falling in the rankings in recent years. It is also clear that the U.S. is not receiving a good return on its investment in terms of health care expenditures, as seen in Figure 2 (shown right), reproduced courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Commission to Build a Healthier America (RWJF, 2008).
Of particular concern is that these indicators are moving in the wrong direction, with the U.S. falling in the rankings in recent years. It is also clear that the U.S. is not receiving a good return on its investment in terms of health care expenditures, as seen in Figure 2 (shown right), reproduced courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Commission to Build a Healthier America (RWJF, 2008).
Health Disparities
Differences in health among different groups of people - often referred to as health disparities - are well documented, persistent, and increasing in many areas across the United States. These differences in health among groups may be viewed in the context of race, gender, income, education level, or geographic location, among others. Examples of such differences are highlighted below:
|
|
|
|
Compared with college graduates, adults who have not finished high school are more than four times as likely to be in poor or fair health. The relation between education and health persists through generations, and children whose parents have not finished high school are over six times as likely to be in poor or fair health as children whose parents are college graduates. (Figures 5 and 6; RWJF, 2008) |