[extropy-chat] Health data

Damien Sullivan
Fri Jun 16 11:45:05 PDT 2006
Comment

And finally, financial data.  Top table is alphabetical, there are others
sorted by expenditures, socialization, healthy life expectancy, and infant
mortality.  US used to be right at the bottom until I added more countries,
particularly Portugal (poor) and Denmark (too many dairy-fed heart attacks?)

Taken from
http://www3.who.int/whosis/core/core_select.cfm

          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
               Exchange  PPP
                 rate
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%
halfUS          3,048  3,048

%GDP is %GDP spent on total health expenditures
HLE Healthy Life Expectancy at birth (aka HALE but I wanted narrow
columns)

(1) "Average exchange rate" health spending per capita
(2) "International dollar rate".  aka PPP
(3) gov't health spending/total health spending
(4) My calculation: %GDP in *private* health spending, %GDP*(1-%govh).
Useful for adding to taxes for a total tax+health burden, e.g. Americans
pay less taxes but more in premiums.

Analysis: graphs or regression curves would help, but just from
eyeballing, we can see a lack of tight correlations.  The most
socialized countries at at the top and bottom of the HLE scale.  Japan
and Sweden, which top both socialism and HLE, differ in total tax burdens
(data not shown(5)) with Japan being close to the US and Sweden most
burdensome.  Australia and the Dutch are relatively less socialized but
more and less healthy.  Actual spending is not tightly correlated with
health, with Germany not doing as well for its money as Sweden while
Italy and Japan don't spend much for their health.  Given Greece vs. Denmark,
lifestyle is probably a factor in HLE.  Infant mortality seems to track
overall social development more closely, with Japan and Finland on a spending
par with Greece and Italy but doing much better.  (See final table.)

Conclusion: it's not clear who we should or can imitate but we should
clearly stop imitating ourselves.  I'd guess Canada, Australia, and
Sweden have similar diets (in marked contrast Spain or Japan) to us and for
Canada and Australia similar lifestyles.  Australia seems strictly better than
Canada; Sweden lives even longer and may or may not spend less, depending on
the exchange rate used.  The UK is a poor model (maybe because they hardly
spend anything; good at saving money!) but the degree of socialism itself does
not seem to be the problem, which was my main point: "socialized" (often
meaning the government simply pays, like Canada or Medicare, vs.  running the
whole system like Britain or the Veterans' Affairs) medicine certainly can
work, better than the US.

(5)
http://images.forbes.com/media/2006/05/Overall_Tax_Burden_Governemt_Spending.pdf

Sorting by $US(1) exchange rate
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
halfUS          3,048  3,048
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%


Sorting by $US(2) PPP
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
halfUS          3,048  3,048
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%


Sorting by %govh
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%

Sorting by HLE-M (note the US is almost a full year behind the next country.
And we actually manage to be half a year ahead of someone... the poorest
country on the whole list, which has a GDP/capita (PPP) under $20,000, vs. US
$44,000)
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%


Sorting by HLE-F (note Japan's 2.4 year lead!  The US avoids the bottom again,
by a very slim margin, though also more overall company.  Poorestugal has
pulled ahead again.)
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4)
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%

Sorting by infant mortality (other tables don't have this because I integrated
this data much later.  I need a spreadsheet.)
          %GDP  $US(1)  $US(2) %govh(3) HLE-F  HLE-M  %GDPprivh(4) IM(6)
Sweden     9.1  3,532  2,827    84.9%   74.8   71.9   1.4%         2.76
Japan      7.8  2,823  2,293    81.3%   77.7   72.3   1.5%         2.8
Iceland    9.9  4,413  3,294    83.4%   73.6   72.1   1.6%         3.27
France    10.5  3,464  3,040    78.4%   74.7   69.3   2.3%         3.41
Finland    7.4  2,664  2,202    77.2%   73.5   68.7   1.7%         3.52
Norway     9.7  5,405  4,079    83.5%   73.6   70.4   1.6%         3.64
Germany   10.6  3,521  3,171    76.9%   74.0   69.6   2.4%         4.08
Switzerl  11.5  5,572  4,011    58.5%   75.3   71.1   4.8%         4.28
Spain      8.1  1,971  2,099    70.9%   75.3   69.9   2.4%         4.31
Denmark    8.6  3,897  2,780    82.3%   71.1   68.6   1.5%         4.45
Australia  9.6  3,123  3,123    67.5%   74.3   70.9   3.1%         4.57
Canada     9.8  3,038  3,173    69.8%   74.0   70.1   3.0%         4.63
Dutch      9.2  3,442  3,092    62.4%   72.6   69.7   3.5%         4.88
Portugal   9.8  1,665  1,896    71.6%   71.7   66.7   2.8%         4.92
UK         8.1  2,900  2,560    86.3%   72.1   69.1   1.1%         5.01
Ireland    7.2  3,234  2,617    79.5%   71.5   68.1   1.5%         5.22
Greece     7.9  1,879  2,179    52.8%   72.9   69.1   3.7%         5.34
Italy      8.7  2,580  2,414    75.1%   74.7   70.7   2.2%         5.72
US        15.4  6,096  6,096    44.7%   71.3   67.2   8.5%         6.37
Israel     8.7  1,533  1,971    70.0%   72.3   70.5   2.6%         6.75

Here, the top countries are Nordics apart from Denmark, plus France, plus
Japan.  The first two groups all have aggressive socialized day care and such,
AFAIK.  Japan I don't know about, maybe lots of mothers staying home, though I
don't know if say Portugal or Greece is any different.  As noted, Japan is
spending about as much as Greece and Italy, less than Ireland, and way less
than the US.  I guess the vaunted Mediterranean diet doesn't magically keep
babies alive so well...

(6) Infant mortality as deaths per 1000 live births, data from the CIA.

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