National Geographic: Health Care Graphic Worth More Than A Thousand Words

I think the # of doctor visits is a little more interesting than the life expectancy (LE). LE may be overused a bit, since we have so many cultural issues affecting that as well.

But to spend more than twice the average of everyone else, and get the least amount of physician contact per patient... that seems super dumb.

 

What does the horizontal axis represent? .... Time?

I mean, I see that Japan's Avg. Life Expectancy at birth increased from ~77.5 to 83.7, but did that increase over time?

 

No, it doesn't, gif. Nice find!

 

The horizontal axis represents health care expenditure to life expectancy, with the UK as a base. Just connecting the dots -- no progression over time. It's a bit of an odd graphical representation of $, doctor visits and life expectancy.

But, once again, it's really just highlighting the disparity in spending and comparing it to measures of its effectiveness.

 

Actually, from what I can tell: there is no horizontal axis, per se. They are just linking one country's health care spending per capita to its corresponding life expectancy. An "upward slope" just shows, in theory, good outcomes per dollar spent, versus the average. A "downward slope" shows, in theory, poor outcomes per dollar spent, versus the average.

I don't think there's any "time" involved. It's just a 2007 snapshot.

 

in which other country(s) do doctors enjoy earnings significantly higher than the mean salary?

if any posters have info on this please post it....

 

As you know, I'm far, far from an opponent of reform. But to say our lack of universal health coverage is responsible for the obesity epidemic, for instance, is to risk all credibility (IMHO!)

There are so many outcomes to look at instead of life expectancy, but I guess it's a good place to start. Cheers.

 

Is it me or does the graph just tell me that Americans have more luxury and income to spend extra on healthcare. It just tells me that we spend more money on non-life threatening stuff more than other countries.

 

We got the bestest system in the world...that's why it costs so much per person!

 

That would make sense, if not for the fact that more and more people are being priced out of healthcare, indicating it's not a voluntary/luxury thing.

 

And Qazi, note that the thickness of our "line" shows we spend less time with doctors than most other citizens of the world. so we literally pay more for less health care "time." Maybe our five minutes with a doctor, and our overpriced prescriptions, are just 3x better than the hours with a doctor, and properly priced prescriptions, that most people get. Um...

 

You're all missing the point...America has the best system in the world. People come here for treatment

**** YEAH!

 

to be fair our life expectancy numbers are still skewed by to be frank, less than average life expectancy of blacks and hispanics.

 

I think I'd prefer a thousand words to that graph. It makes no sense and seems to imply things that it should not. The second one gifford posted makes a lot more sense.

Even so, I'm suspicious of what the graph wants to imply, even though I'm sympathetic to the argument. Life expectancy has a lot to do with lifestyle, that is not isolated here. Also, number of doctor's visits will also vary with age. Japan, for example, has an older population than normal, so you'd expect more doctor's visits.

 

That's not what Glenn Beck said 2 years ago.

... but he says that now. Then again, I don't take the word of an accused rapist and murderer of children very seriously.