Reactor: A global perspective

This session will focus on the recent Institute of Medicine and National Research Council Report, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. The report examines the evidence on life expectancy and other health outcomes in the U.S., comparing U.S. data with data from 16 “peer countries” –other high income democracies in western Europe as well as Canada, Australia, and Japan. Data show that despite spending the most on health care, Americans have been dying at younger ages than people in almost all other high income countries and this disadvantage has been getting worse for three decades, especially among women. Data also show that Americans also have a longstanding pattern of poorer health that is strikingly consistent and pervasive over the life course. Session participants will discuss the evidence in greater detail along with potential explanations for the U.S. health disadvantage. The role of health systems, health behaviors, social and economic conditions and physical environments will also be discussed. A reactor panel comprised of leading public health figures will provide their reactions to the report and thoughts on what strategies could be taken to shape an agenda that would help the US become more aligned with its peer high-income OECD countries.