HS 301 Questions and Verified Answers
How does US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations
today? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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. Correct 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? Correct 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 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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.
How does US life expectancy compare with that of other industrialized nations
today? Correct 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? Correct 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? Correct 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. Correct 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? Correct 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 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? Correct 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?
Correct 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? Correct 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.
