Male Plus Low Income = Double Whammy

Check-up success at the GP, check-up success at the dentist, less diabetes, healthier diet, less alcohol consumption, more exercise, better sleep, less stress, and life expectancy all correlate somehow with better education and higher socio-economic status and virtually not at all with the healthcare systems in place in each country. Some of the most different health systems are those in the USA (mostly private) and the UK (state-run), for example. In the USA, people tend to have private health insurance up to 65, often through their employer; in England, healthcare is free and funded by taxes. How education affects health in old age in both countries was investigated in two studies: in the UK English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)'' and in the USAHealth and Retirement Study''. The result is as follows: Differences in both health systems have little effect on the expected years of life in good health. The situation is different with education and socio-economic status.