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Chapter 7: Problem 4

What is meant by the phrase "health outcome"? How do health outcomes in the United States compare with those of other high-income countries? What problems arise in attempting to compare health outcomes across countries?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Health outcomes, changes in health status due to interventions, in the United States generally lag behind those of other high-income countries despite high healthcare expenditure. Comparing health outcomes across countries can pose challenges due to inconsistencies in data collection, differing healthcare systems and policies, and varying socio-economic conditions.

Step by step solution

01

Defining health outcomes

Health outcomes are the changes in the health status of an individual, group or population which is attributable to planned interventions or programs. According to the World Health Organization, these changes can be measured in terms of mortality and morbidity, quality of life, and health expectancy.
02

Comparing health outcomes

Comparing the United States to other high-income countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada, it's generally observed that despite its considerable healthcare spending, the US tends to have poorer health outcomes. This can be indicated by factors such as life expectancy, infant mortality, and prevalence of chronic diseases. For example, in a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2018, it was found that while the US has the highest healthcare spending, it performs poorly in terms of outcomes related to heart disease, infant mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years.
03

Challenges in Comparing Health Outcomes across Countries

There are several problems that arise when attempting to compare health outcomes across countries. Firstly, countries might have different methods or standards of data collection and reporting, leading to inconsistencies. Secondly, healthcare systems and policies vary greatly from one country to another. As a result, direct comparison might not capture the complexity and uniqueness of each health care system. Thirdly, social, economic and environmental factors, which considerably influence health outcomes, can differ drastically among countries, affecting the validity of the comparison.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What are the main sources of health insurance in the United States?

(Related to the Apply the Concept on page 243) \(A\) column in the Wall Street Journal observed, "Independent websites like Edmunds.com, AutoTrader.com and Kelley Blue Book publish detailed pricing information [on automobiles] for consumers and do so for free. Consumers want such information and businesses see opportunity in providing it, even for free, in order to attract eyeballs for advertising..... Such information doesn't exist in health care." Why aren't there Web sites that offer pricing data on health care and make a profit from selling advertisements?

Some firms offer their employees a health care plan with high deductibles, sometimes as much as \(\$ 4,500\) per year. What effect do high-deductible plans have on how often employees visit doctors or otherwise use health care services? If the federal government were to require that employer health care plans have deductibles that were no greater than \(\$ 200\) per year, would the employees in these plans be better off? Would the employers offering these plans be worse off? Briefly explain.

Briefly discuss how economists explain the rapid increases in health care spending.

Briefly compare the health care systems in Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom with the health care system in the United States.
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