President Bush frequently calls the American health system "the best health system in the world." Our question is simply, does "SICKO" have it's facts straight?
June 16, 2007 (Press Release) --
SAN FRANCISCO , CALIFORNIA, JUNE 16, 2007 (ASRN.ORG) - Michael Moore's premier of "Sicko" was an overwhelming success at the Cannes Film Festival. When the curtain went down it received a 15-minute standing ovation, and had made even the most hardened journalists weep. It told the story of an American health system in crisis.
We decided that we wanted to know just what the facts are. Is Moore right or is President Bush? Does America have the best health system in the world, as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality or is Moore right? Are we spending more than any other country in the Western world? And if so, are we getting the worst health care system for our dollars? Both sides have facts, but whose are right?
When we surveyed select counties across the world for life expectancy, which was defined as the life expectancy at birth for both sexes, the U.S. fared very poorly.
The U.S. came in 17th, tied with Cypress, with a life expectancy of 78.0. Here are the countries in the top 17: Japan (81.4); Switzerland (80.6); Sweden (80.6); Australia (80.6); Canada (80.3); Italy (79.9); France (79.9); Spain (79.8); Norway (79.7); Israel (79.6); Greece (79.4); Austria (79.2); New Zealand (79.0); Germany (79.0); U.K. (78.7); Finland (78.7); Cypress (78.0); and the U.S. (78.0).
In our survey of select countries across the world for infant mortality, which was defined as the number of deaths per 1,000 live births, the U.S. again did poorly.
The U.S. came in 16th, below South Korea, with an infant mortality rate of 6.4. Here are the countries in the top 16: Sweden (2.8); Japan (3.2); Finland (3.5); Norway (3.6); Czech Republic (3.9); France (4.2); Spain (4.3); Denmark (4.5); Austria (4.5); Canada (4.6); Australia (4.6); Portugal (4.9); UK (5.0); New Zealand (5.7); South Korea (6.1); U.S. (6.4).
The next question is whether the U.S. truly spends more than any other country in the world on healthcare.
Again, Moore's facts checked out. The U.S. spends $5,711 per person. That's a whopping 42% more the next highest spending country, Norway. Norway spends only $3,309 per person.
Finally, If the U.S. truly has the "best health care system in the world" you'd expect it to have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people. Or else it should be very, very close to the top of the list.
However, this time the results are shocking. The U.S. isn't even on the list of the top thirty countries in the world that have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people.
Michael Moore's style aside, it's hard to argue the facts.
About ASRN: The American Society of Registered Nurses was founded in May 2003 for the purpose of bringing together professional registered nurses. Additional information is available on its web site, www.asrn.org.
We decided that we wanted to know just what the facts are. Is Moore right or is President Bush? Does America have the best health system in the world, as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality or is Moore right? Are we spending more than any other country in the Western world? And if so, are we getting the worst health care system for our dollars? Both sides have facts, but whose are right?
When we surveyed select counties across the world for life expectancy, which was defined as the life expectancy at birth for both sexes, the U.S. fared very poorly.
The U.S. came in 17th, tied with Cypress, with a life expectancy of 78.0. Here are the countries in the top 17: Japan (81.4); Switzerland (80.6); Sweden (80.6); Australia (80.6); Canada (80.3); Italy (79.9); France (79.9); Spain (79.8); Norway (79.7); Israel (79.6); Greece (79.4); Austria (79.2); New Zealand (79.0); Germany (79.0); U.K. (78.7); Finland (78.7); Cypress (78.0); and the U.S. (78.0).
In our survey of select countries across the world for infant mortality, which was defined as the number of deaths per 1,000 live births, the U.S. again did poorly.
The U.S. came in 16th, below South Korea, with an infant mortality rate of 6.4. Here are the countries in the top 16: Sweden (2.8); Japan (3.2); Finland (3.5); Norway (3.6); Czech Republic (3.9); France (4.2); Spain (4.3); Denmark (4.5); Austria (4.5); Canada (4.6); Australia (4.6); Portugal (4.9); UK (5.0); New Zealand (5.7); South Korea (6.1); U.S. (6.4).
The next question is whether the U.S. truly spends more than any other country in the world on healthcare.
Again, Moore's facts checked out. The U.S. spends $5,711 per person. That's a whopping 42% more the next highest spending country, Norway. Norway spends only $3,309 per person.
Finally, If the U.S. truly has the "best health care system in the world" you'd expect it to have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people. Or else it should be very, very close to the top of the list.
However, this time the results are shocking. The U.S. isn't even on the list of the top thirty countries in the world that have the highest number of physicians per 100,000 people.
Michael Moore's style aside, it's hard to argue the facts.
About ASRN: The American Society of Registered Nurses was founded in May 2003 for the purpose of bringing together professional registered nurses. Additional information is available on its web site, www.asrn.org.
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