quote:Originally posted by JasonR:quote:Originally posted by Jrlz:
That is 2,180 mothers, fathers, and grand parents.
Doing math here, correct me if I've added incorrectly.
Infant mortality: US is at 7 per 1,000, best in the world is around 3, which means in the US 4 more babies die than where it could be.
Annual births in US 4.1 million so there are ~16,000+ babies that died here vs. the countries with the lowest infant mortality.
I think calling it a "wash" is more than fair.
I would disagree, the CDC notes that there is a disparity in infant mortality rates.
Examples of Important Disparities
Infant mortality among African Americans in 2000 occurred at a rate of 14.1 deaths per 1,000 live births.2 This is more than twice the national average of 6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. The leading causes of infant death include congenital abnormalities, pre-term/low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), problems related to complications of pregnancy, and respiratory distress syndrome.3 SIDS deaths among American Indian and Alaska Natives is 2.3 times the rate for non-Hispanic white mothers
In summary there are factors that drive up the infant mortality that are not related to the health care system. Many of the above disparities are effected more by the parent(s) than the health care system. A poor diet of the mother, not following back to sleep reccomendations, not taking pre-natal viatamins amonng a host of other factors would all effect the above disparities. These are not a result of our heatlh care system, rather poor decisions by adults.
We will have to agree to disagree. I happen to think our system, although with issues, is the best in the World. I know if heaven forbid I needed quality health care I would stay in the US. I dont believe I would go to Europe or even our fine neighbors to the north in Canada.