Canadians healthier than Americans

Do you think this data supports

  • a strong rationale for investing in public health care

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • a strong argument for private health care

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • have no idea what the data supports

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

sanch

Electoral Member
Apr 8, 2005
647
0
16
http://www.suntimes.com/output/health/cst-nws-health31.html

Americans are 42 percent more likely than Canadians to have diabetes, 32 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and 12 percent more likely to have arthritis, Harvard Medical School researchers found.

Canada's national health insurance program is at least part of the reason for the differences, because universal coverage makes it easier to get disease-preventing health services, Woolhander said.

The study, to appear in the American Journal of Public Health, found that 6.7 percent of Americans and 4.7 percent of Canadians reported having diabetes; 18.3 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively, reported having high blood pressure. About 21 percent of Americans said they were obese; for Canadians, it was 15 percent.

One plus for Americans: Fewer than 1 percent said they were unable to get needed care because of long waits, compared with 3.5 percent of Canadians.

For the last paragraph the results may also reflect how the question was phrased. If the question also included whether the noninsured in the US were able to get in line at all then the Canadian system even with wait times would provide better health access.

All in all the data should give the government increased incentive to invest more in improving public health care delivery in Canada.

Also hopefully this will deflate the zeal for a private alternative because who in their right mind would advocate for a system that does not work that well in respect to delivering health outcomes. It's like going to the track and betting on a horse that consistently runs last.

:!: I added the poll
 

sanch

Electoral Member
Apr 8, 2005
647
0
16
Other factors that might have impacted on the difference between Canadians and Americans is the prevalence of obesity in the US and the lack of natural outlets for exercise like snow shovelling. I would have assumed Canadians ate as much fast food and junk food as Americans but apparently that is not true.
 

aeon

Council Member
Jan 17, 2006
1,348
0
36
sanch said:
Other factors that might have impacted on the difference between Canadians and Americans is the prevalence of obesity in the US and the lack of natural outlets for exercise like snow shovelling. I would have assumed Canadians ate as much fast food and junk food as Americans but apparently that is not true.

Well, in every us macdonal, and all the restaurent has super Size fries, super size everything , in canada , we dont have this super size thing, maybe it isnot the reason, but it certainly doesnt help.

Myself, i dont eat that kind of food.
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
My Dad got diabetes....the "healthcare system" didn't prevent that from happening.

Maybe we should have mandatory exercises everyday and some government official should do your grocery shopping and lay out a meal plan for you every day....might as well if their going to make it illegal to purchase healthcare in Canada.
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
If Canadians spent as much per capita

on health care as the Americans, we could no doubt alleviate most, if not all of the wait time problems.
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
I agree, healthcare costs are going to rise.
 

thecdn

Electoral Member
Apr 12, 2006
310
0
16
North Lauderdale, FL
In my time in the US I've noticed that Americans, on average, eat out way more often than Canadians. It's a wonder why some have stoves...

Our local McDonalds haven't had supersized anything for awhile.

The cost of medical treatment for the uninsured does mean some people will avoid treatment of minor issues that will develop into major, more costly ones. Even some insured will avoid treatment due to the cost of co-payments in some programs.