In the past two days, I have twice heard the US referred to as or being associated with being a third world country. In both cases, they were referring to a recent report published in PLoS Medicine, completed apparently by experts at Harvard and other institutions. The report states that there is a concerning decline in women's life expectancy across this nation. Fewer counties across the nation showed declines in men's life expectancy.

Both sources (The Today Show and the local paper, Omaha World Herald), stated that "declines in life expectancy typically are associated with Third World nations." The findings were compared to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the collapse of the health care system in Russia. A lot of emphasis is also placed on income as playing a role in this decline. Rural areas may have poor (if any) employer based healthcare. Low income, worse diets, unaffordable healthcare... failing economy, ALARMING increases in STDs and drug resistant illnesses, natural resources deminishing... Are we less a "developed" nation with all of these communities where the life expectancy is closer to those of underdeveloped or developing countries?

I wanted to see what the AMHD community thinks about this... could America be the richest third world country?

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Originally Posted by Izannah

could America be the richest third world country?

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I think we have a way to go yet. We're #8 on Most and Least Livable Countries: UN Human Development Index, 2006. I'd consider third-worldness to encompass both low life quality and expectancy. Also the term applies to lacking economic or industrial advancement, which we don't, or alignment during the cold war, in which case we are by definition a first world country so it depends on what ideas you are trying to express with the term "Third World."

U.S. National Debt Clock

We are not there yet, but our politicians are working night in day to make it a reality! Since Dubya got re-elected I think we are at about 1.5 headed to 2, shortly. Would not surprise me that if McCain's elected that will jump to about 2.5 in four years and then hit the 3rd level, if heaven forbid he was re-elected. Most of this I say with tongue in cheek. :) To answer your question about the States sincerely though, "yes" we have serious problems that need addressing. I actually have another home in a third world country located in SE Asia and it's starting to look better all the time.

Pure, unadulterated, BS. What is "PLoS Medicine"? A recent survey from the American Medical Association indicated that they are "in favor" of a national health insurance scheme. More, pure "BS".
1) Doctors already object to insurance companies telling them how to practice medicine; but insurance companies don't arrest doctors, or anyone else, and put them in jail. Think about Uncle Sam telling your doctor what he can do or not do.
2) How few doctors belong to the AMA in the first place.
Propaganda; that's all it is.

US life expectancy stagnates, declines for many women and poor people | Spartacus Lives!

US Life Expectancy Shorter for Many
By MedHeadlines

"Statistics on longevity in the United States have indicated an increase in expected life span that began in the 1960s and rose steadily until 2000. Now, newer statistics, gleaned from a study conducted over an extensive period of time, reveals that not all Americans can expect an extended life and still others are facing death at an earlier age than their counterparts in other parts of the country.

life expectancyThe study, conducted by Harvard School of Public Health and University of Washington researchers, indicates a decline in the life-span for 4% of American men and 19% of American women. Where there is no decline in life expectancy apparent, the life expectancy rate has stalled, neither declining or increasing.

Researchers point to a long-held view that inequalities in the US healthcare system can be tolerated as long as the health of the nation in general is improving This study shows that not everyone is improving and that in some areas, life expectancy is actually shorter than it was in the recent past.

The research team used National Center for Health Statistics' mortality data and US Census Bureau data for 1959 through 2001. The researchers analyzed their data on a county-by-county basis, making this the first to explore mortality per county over such an extensive period of time.

The areas that show the greatest decline in longevity are Appalachia, the Mississippi River Valley, the Deep South, the southern part of the Midwest, and Texas.

These areas of life expectancy decline represent a large segment of the population that lives in economically depressed areas while, at the other end of the spectrum, the most affluent areas report a continued increase in life expectancy.

The discrepancy gap between men in affluent areas with the longest life expectancy and those with the shortest was 9.0 years in 1983 but the gap had expanded to 11 years by 1999. The discrepancy for women was 6.7 years in 1983 and 7.5 in 1999. On a global basis, affluent countries have seen an increase in life expectancy almost without exception.

Life expectancy is one factor universally associated with the quality of health care and social systems within a country. A decline in life span in places such as Eastern Europe and parts of Africa point to healthcare systems that have failed. Christopher Murray, Director for the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations who is co-author for this study, points to the declining life expectancy in the US, as revealed by this study, to be a sign of a system needing “serious rethinking.”

The research team determined that diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and no improvements against death associated with cardiovascular diseases have attributed to the decline in life span in many areas. Men are at increased risk of death due to homicides and HIV/AIDS.

Researchers identify the significant role of smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure as contributors to shortened life spans, saying that these issues can be addressed at low cost but with high efficiency if ours was a healthcare system dedicated to closing this ever-widening gap in life expectancies within the US.

The April 22 edition of the journal PLoS Medicine carries more details of this study."

Public Library of Science link: PLoS ONE : Publishing science, accelerating research

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

Your conclusion is not complete enough for me, only in part. And that would be the constant need to reform the welfare system so it's not seen as normalcy. We all want, I hope, that our neighbors are above poverty, and which in some cases this is related to economics as well as individual responsibility. Some government programs are actually productive for our future generation's benefit. Genetics, heredity, diet, lifestyle, ability to afford healthcare, are all factors. Include what medicines may end up being tainted, poison, or detrimental in the long run, also changes the dynamics of life expectancy. No doubt we have to be careful with our choices. However I know wealthy people that don't care of themselves, but that's not because they lacked a choice or money. For example: poorer people, below poverty guidelines, qualify for a program such as WIC providing their child the opportunity to be healthier, than without.

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Originally Posted by George_1950

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

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You forgot to say "FREE MARKET ECONOMY." Only big block traders are making profits these days... and for a reason.

Every year thousands upon thousands of people try to legally and illegally immigrate to the United States . Amazing that they would try to flock to such a sucky place.

Why is it so amazing tom? All their cousins are here.

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Rural areas may have poor (if any) employer based healthcare. Low income, worse diets, unaffordable healthcare... failing economy, ALARMING increases in STDs and drug resistant illnesses, natural resources deminishing... Are we less a "developed" nation with all of these communities where the life expectancy is closer to those of underdeveloped or developing countries?

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True, rural healthcare is a problem, they are under served by the medical community, and true the cost of healthcare is out of control - but nobody has to go without medical care in this country. But, I'm amused at studies such as this and even more so by how it's portrayed.

First of all it's ridiculous to plant the idea in the reader's mind that what we have here correlates with "third world countries." Last year life expectancy in the US was 78 years - in Angola it was less than half that, 37.6 years, 39.5 in Zimbabwe and 40.9 in Mozambique. There is no comparison.

Why do we have ALARMING rates of STDs? It certainly isn't a failure of abstinence education, it's the culture created and endorsed by the same people who complain of alarming rates of STDs. Sex in every aspect of our lives, movies, TV, print media, selling 13 year old girls shirts that read "I Know what boys want" or "Spank me, it's my birthday." What do they expect?

Don't worry though, after the complete ban on tobacco, trans fats and fried food we'll have mandatory exercise programs to whip everyone into shape and the rate will rise again.

Why do so many seem to want universal health care operated the fed govt? Can't they see the disaster that federal aid to education has been? And just who mismanaged (stole)the Social Security Trust Fund? If what LBJ and the Dems did to SS had been done by private corporations, the executives would have gone to prison. We have spent Billions to eliminate poverty without any success. I'm voting against anyone who promises me more government. Point being that we should have stayed with the Constitution where federal government was LIMITED. Yeah, I know. It ain't going to happen.

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Originally Posted by Galveston1

I'm voting against anyone who promises me more government. Point being that we should have stayed with the Constitution where federal government was LIMITED. Yeah, I know. It ain't gonna happen.

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You must of hated Bush. He expanded government so much he's trying to run two countries.

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Originally Posted by George_1950

Therefore, let us conclude that since the US was not a third world country before the Great Society, that all the welfare, medicare, medicaid, AFDC, et al ad nauseum has failed terribly; and henceforth the US will take all necessary steps to return to a market economy where citizens are responsible for themselves and their families. At what point will liberal/fascists face the fact that all their programs are imprisoning America and running this great country into the ground?

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I agree with George 1950
We are headed for third world country and I believe it is mostly because the liberals will not allow us to drill our own oil for one. Also with the inconvenient lie it is being set up so that they can control our economy by using carbon footprints as an excuse collapse our economy.
Just for one we have to find alternative fuel so cotton fields, rice paddy's and other crops are being ditched so more corn can be grown.
Eventually these things along with the globalization Bush has put in motion we are going downhill and will eventually wreck.
The Euro dollar and Canadian money being worth more than ours is just the start.
Communist Russia had the elite rich OR the very poor and that is where we are headed and 'the programs' George mentioned never brought anybody out of poverty or fixed anything.
The more government is involved the worse we get. That is ONE reason I do not want the medical coverage Hillary is pushing and I am one of the very ones in the NO medical coverage statistics.

There's actually plenty of oil in Mexico and other parts of the world not so distant. It takes extra refinery process measures. But it's not just a liberal deterrent to drill in Alaska. Even Republican President Bush and candidate McCain aim to get us less dependent on gas. That was one of the few Dubya initiatives that I agreed with him upon when he originally took office.

I agree but if the liberals hadn't started with the don't drill things may have worked out different. Now the global warming advocates don't want us getting tar sand from Canada for our fuel because it is bad. global warming and canadas tar sand - Google Search

That would had only delayed or reduced prices marginally. We would have to be totally dependent on our own oil to get complete benefits at the pump. Mexico don't use our oil either and look at there prices!

Nation & World | Gas prices fueling fill-ups in Mexico | Seattle Times Newspaper

I think the whole thing is (Dem or Rep) political lies to line their pockets and ruin us any way you go about it

That's a good argument! Some have said that we have the technology already, but it's a business to keep us coming back only to pay more. Others say that the mid-east country's know it's only a matter of time before our dependency on oil is over, so they are pricing the oil to get what they can while they can. I got to go. Have a good evening. :)

I do know that the government paid people off years ago when they tried to patent corn oil for fuel or carburators that got 30 or more miles to a gallon because they said it would be bad for the economy. Just like many things they make them cheap so that we have to keep buying them over and over. Like I remember a broom lasting years in the sixties and now a broom is falling apart within months. Now it is not convenient for them economically to burn gas so fast and it is still not convenient for them to build a carburator that gets such good gas mileage because then they wouldn't have an excuse to spend billions in researching.