Explaining divergent levels of longevity in high-Income countries

Crimmins, Eileen M. (Added Author). Preston, Samuel H. (Added Author). Cohen, Barney, 1959- (Added Author). National Research Council (U.S.). Panel on Understanding Divergent Trends in Longevity in High-Income Countries. (Added Author).

Summary: Over the past 25 years, life expectancy has been rising in the United States at a slower pace than has been achieved in many other high-income countries. Consequently, the United States has been falling steadily in the world rankings for level of life expectancy, and the gap between the United States and countries with the highest achieved life expectancies has been widening. International comparisons of various measures of self-reported health and biological markers of disease reveal similar patterns of U.S. disadvantage. The relatively poor performance of the United States with respect to achieved life expectancy over the recent past is surprising given that it spends far more on health care than any other nation in the world, both absolutely and as a percentage of gross national product. Motivated by these concerns, the National Institute on Aging requested that the National Research Council convene a panel of leading experts to clarify patterns in the levels and trends in life expectancy across nations, to examine the evidence on competing explanations for the divergent trends, and to identify strategic opportunities for health-related interventions to narrow this gap.

Record details

ISBN: 9781283213387
ISBN: 1283213389
ISBN: 0309186404 (pbk.)
ISBN: 9780309186407 (pbk.)
ISBN: 0309186412 (pdf)
ISBN: 9780309186414 (pdf)
Physical Description: 1 online resource (PDF file (xi, 182 p.)) : ill.
remote
electronic resource
Publisher: Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, c2011.

Content descriptions

General Note:	CatBulkString:may.13 Multi-User CatBulkString:may.17.13
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references.
Formatted Contents Note:	Difference Between Life Expectancy in the United States and Other High-Income Countries -- Causes of Death, Health Indicators, and Divergence in Life Expectancy -- The Role of Obesity -- The Role of Physical Activity -- The Role of Smoking -- The Role of Social Networks and Social Integration -- The Role of Health Care -- The Role of Hormone Therapy -- The Role of Inequality -- Conclusions.
Funding Information Note:	This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging's Division of Behavioral and Social Research through Contract No. NO1-OD-4-2139, TO#194 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Note:	Access requires VIU IP addresses and is restricted to VIU students, faculty and staff. Access restricted by subscription.
Source of Description Note:	Description based on online resource ; title from PDF title page (viewed on Jan. 22, 2012).