HS 301 | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
How does US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations today? - (ANSWER)Life
expectancy in the United States is ranked 32nd in the world below most other industrialized nations.
Americans experience higher rates of disease, injury, and health-damaging behaviors that do men and
women in other high-income countries.
How did US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations fifty years ago? -
(ANSWER)The past 50 years have witnessed remarkable gains in life expectancy and 16 other country
members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). However,
improvements have occurred at various paces across nations. Life expectancy gains in the US have not
kept pace with gains in other countries.
What are some of the causes of mortality that are particularly high in the US compared with the other
OECD countries? - (ANSWER)Mortality rates from infectious diseases; complications of pregnancy,
childbirth and the puerperium; and conditions originating in the perinatal period are higher in the
United States than in nearly all other OECD countries.
Name at least three factors that may contribute to the US/OECD gap in health outcomes. -
(ANSWER)The four mechanisms for the explanations for the US/OECD gap are: Medical care and public
health, individual behaviors, social/demographic factors and physical environment.
Medical and public health specific factors are access to health care insurance, quality of medical care,
and quality of public health system.
Individual behavior specific factors are: tobacco use, obesity, diet, physical inactivity, alcohol and other
substance use, sexual practices, violence (especially firearm suicide and homicide), and automobile
reliance.
Social/demographic factors specific factors are socioeconomic inequality and poverty, racial disparities
and residential segregation, and social integration and social interactions.
Physical environmental factors specific factors are built environment (urban design, transport
infrastructure, land-use mix, urban planning and design), and food environment.
How do non-fatal health outcomes in the US population compare to those in the other OECD countries?
- (ANSWER)a. Compared with most other countries, Americans have higher prevalence of low birth
weight, traffic injuries and HIV incidence. Americans are more likely to rate their own health as good
than are men and women in other high-income countries. Americans also have higher prevalence of
preterm births and poor maternal health; adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; and
overweight, obesity, and diabetes during childhood and middle age. Older Americans report a higher
, HS 301 | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
prevalence of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, lung disease, and limitation with
basic instrumental activities of daily living than do their European counterparts at ages 50 and above.
Explain the idea of the "eight Americas." How do mortality rates in the eight Americas compare to the
other OECD nations? - (ANSWER)The eight Americas are subdivisions of the United States into eight
race-county combinations. Large differences were found in life expectancy among these groups. For
young and middle-aged males and females, mortality in the disadvantaged Americas is up to two times
worse than that in the worst OECD country. Disparities across US regions have grown since the 1980s, a
factor that has contributed to the overall US lag in life expectancy.
Explain the concept of GDP. How much does the US spend on health care as a fraction of GDP? What do
our peer nations spend as a fraction of their GDP? - (ANSWER)Gross domestic product is the best way to
measure a country's economy. GDP is the total value of everything produced by all the people and
companies in the country. The US spent roughly 16% of its GDP on healthcare in 2014. Whereas our peer
nations spent between 8-10%.
How does the US health care system rank internationally? On what measures are we faring reasonably
well? On what measures do we rank poorly? - (ANSWER)The US ranks last in health care system
performance among the 11 countries included in this study. The US ranks last in Access, Equity, and
Health Care Outcomes, and next to last in Administrative Efficiency, as reported by patients and
providers. Only in Care Process does the U.S. perform better, ranking fifth among the 11 countries.
What explains the link between poverty, depression, and anxiety? - (ANSWER)a. People who live in
poverty are at increased risk of mental illness
b. Incidence of depression
i. ◦31% of Americans living under the poverty line
ii. ◦15.8% of those not in poverty
c. Those living in poverty are also more likely to experience asthma, diabetes, heart attacks, and other
physical health problems
d. What explains these disparities?
i. ◦Poverty is tied to stressful lives, difficult childhoods, and more ACEs
ii. ◦Possible over-diagnosis of mental illness
How does US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations today? - (ANSWER)Life
expectancy in the United States is ranked 32nd in the world below most other industrialized nations.
Americans experience higher rates of disease, injury, and health-damaging behaviors that do men and
women in other high-income countries.
How did US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations fifty years ago? -
(ANSWER)The past 50 years have witnessed remarkable gains in life expectancy and 16 other country
members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). However,
improvements have occurred at various paces across nations. Life expectancy gains in the US have not
kept pace with gains in other countries.
What are some of the causes of mortality that are particularly high in the US compared with the other
OECD countries? - (ANSWER)Mortality rates from infectious diseases; complications of pregnancy,
childbirth and the puerperium; and conditions originating in the perinatal period are higher in the
United States than in nearly all other OECD countries.
Name at least three factors that may contribute to the US/OECD gap in health outcomes. -
(ANSWER)The four mechanisms for the explanations for the US/OECD gap are: Medical care and public
health, individual behaviors, social/demographic factors and physical environment.
Medical and public health specific factors are access to health care insurance, quality of medical care,
and quality of public health system.
Individual behavior specific factors are: tobacco use, obesity, diet, physical inactivity, alcohol and other
substance use, sexual practices, violence (especially firearm suicide and homicide), and automobile
reliance.
Social/demographic factors specific factors are socioeconomic inequality and poverty, racial disparities
and residential segregation, and social integration and social interactions.
Physical environmental factors specific factors are built environment (urban design, transport
infrastructure, land-use mix, urban planning and design), and food environment.
How do non-fatal health outcomes in the US population compare to those in the other OECD countries?
- (ANSWER)a. Compared with most other countries, Americans have higher prevalence of low birth
weight, traffic injuries and HIV incidence. Americans are more likely to rate their own health as good
than are men and women in other high-income countries. Americans also have higher prevalence of
preterm births and poor maternal health; adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; and
overweight, obesity, and diabetes during childhood and middle age. Older Americans report a higher
, HS 301 | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
prevalence of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, lung disease, and limitation with
basic instrumental activities of daily living than do their European counterparts at ages 50 and above.
Explain the idea of the "eight Americas." How do mortality rates in the eight Americas compare to the
other OECD nations? - (ANSWER)The eight Americas are subdivisions of the United States into eight
race-county combinations. Large differences were found in life expectancy among these groups. For
young and middle-aged males and females, mortality in the disadvantaged Americas is up to two times
worse than that in the worst OECD country. Disparities across US regions have grown since the 1980s, a
factor that has contributed to the overall US lag in life expectancy.
Explain the concept of GDP. How much does the US spend on health care as a fraction of GDP? What do
our peer nations spend as a fraction of their GDP? - (ANSWER)Gross domestic product is the best way to
measure a country's economy. GDP is the total value of everything produced by all the people and
companies in the country. The US spent roughly 16% of its GDP on healthcare in 2014. Whereas our peer
nations spent between 8-10%.
How does the US health care system rank internationally? On what measures are we faring reasonably
well? On what measures do we rank poorly? - (ANSWER)The US ranks last in health care system
performance among the 11 countries included in this study. The US ranks last in Access, Equity, and
Health Care Outcomes, and next to last in Administrative Efficiency, as reported by patients and
providers. Only in Care Process does the U.S. perform better, ranking fifth among the 11 countries.
What explains the link between poverty, depression, and anxiety? - (ANSWER)a. People who live in
poverty are at increased risk of mental illness
b. Incidence of depression
i. ◦31% of Americans living under the poverty line
ii. ◦15.8% of those not in poverty
c. Those living in poverty are also more likely to experience asthma, diabetes, heart attacks, and other
physical health problems
d. What explains these disparities?
i. ◦Poverty is tied to stressful lives, difficult childhoods, and more ACEs
ii. ◦Possible over-diagnosis of mental illness
