Title | Differences in health between Americans and Western Europeans: Effects on longevity and public finance. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2011 |
Authors | Michaud, P-C, Goldman, DP, Lakdawalla, D, Gailey, A, Zheng, Y |
Journal | Soc Sci Med |
Volume | 73 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | 254-63 |
Date Published | 2011 Jul |
ISSN Number | 1873-5347 |
Keywords | Activities of Daily Living, Adult, Aged, Body Mass Index, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Disabled Persons, Europe, Female, Health Expenditures, health policy, Health Status Disparities, Health Surveys, Humans, Internationality, Life Expectancy, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Economic, Models, Statistical, Mortality, Public Health, United States |
Abstract | In 1975, 50-year-old Americans could expect to live slightly longer than most of their Western European counterparts. By 2005, American life expectancy had fallen behind that of most Western European countries. We find that this growing longevity gap is primarily due to real declines in the health of near-elderly Americans, relative to their Western European peers. We use a microsimulation approach to project what US longevity would look like, if US health trends approximated those in Western Europe. The model implies that differences in health can explain most of the growing gap in remaining life expectancy. In addition, we quantify the public finance consequences of this deterioration in health. The model predicts that gradually moving American cohorts to the health status enjoyed by Western Europeans could save up to $1.1 trillion in discounted total health expenditures from 2004 to 2050. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.027 |
User Guide Notes | |
Endnote Keywords | disability/disability/mortality/international comparisons/Cross-national/microsimulation/Europe/SHARE/ELSA_/longevity |
Endnote ID | 69616 |
Alternate Journal | Soc Sci Med |
Citation Key | 7675 |
PubMed ID | 21719178 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC3383030 |
Grant List | RC4 AG039036-01 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P01 AG022481 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States RC4G039036 / RC / CCR NIH HHS / United States R01 AG030824-01 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States RC4 AG039036 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P01 AG022481-03 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P30 AG043073 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States 7P30AG024968 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States R01 AG030824 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P30 AG024968 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |