Differences in health between Americans and Western Europeans: Effects on longevity and public finance.

TitleDifferences in health between Americans and Western Europeans: Effects on longevity and public finance.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsMichaud, P-C, Goldman, DP, Lakdawalla, D, Gailey, A, Zheng, Y
JournalSoc Sci Med
Volume73
Issue2
Pagination254-63
Date Published2011 Jul
ISSN Number1873-5347
KeywordsActivities 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.
DOI10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.027
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21719178?dopt=Abstract
Endnote Keywords

disability/disability/mortality/international comparisons/Cross-national/microsimulation/Europe/SHARE/ELSA_/longevity
Endnote ID

69616
Alternate JournalSoc Sci Med
Citation Key7675
PubMed ID21719178
PubMed Central IDPMC3383030
Grant ListRC4 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