ABSTRACT
We present data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Health Organization on the performance of the health care systems in twenty-nine industrialized countries in 1998. We also compare the performance of the United States with the other industrialized countries for selected indicators in 1960, 1980, and 1998. On most indicators the U.S. relative performance declined since 1960; on none did it improve.
Subject(s)
Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , European Union , Health Expenditures/statistics & numerical data , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Delivery of Health Care/economics , Delivery of Health Care/standards , Developed Countries , Europe/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Life Expectancy , Male , Medical Laboratory Science/statistics & numerical data , Morbidity , Mortality , Preventive Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Utilization Review , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
The aging of the U.S. population presents challenges in financing care and meeting the health and long-term care needs of older Americans. Women, who constitute a majority of the older adult population and a disproportionate share of those with low incomes, chronic conditions and long-term care needs, have much at stake in the future direction of health programs for aging Americans. This paper examines the status of older women in 12 industrialized nations to assess how the U.S. compares to other countries in terms of its aging female population. We find that women across the 12 industrialized countries have a longer life expectancy than men at ages 65 and 80, underscoring the universality of aging as a "women's issue". With respect to age composition, the U.S. lags behind many industrialized nations in the share of its elderly female population; by 2030, the proportion of women aged 65 and older, and 80 and older, will be lower in the U.S. than in any of the industrialized nations compared in this paper. Against this backdrop, the paper examines the characteristics of older adult women in the U.S., considers the role of Medicare in meeting the needs of aging women, and identifies gaps in coverage, primarily prescription drug and long-term care, that disproportionately affect older women. The paper concludes by considering how other nations provide and finance prescription drug and long-term care services for older adults, suggesting useful models for the U.S. to consider as it struggles to meet the demands of its aging population.
Subject(s)
Medicare , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Australia , Canada , Dependency, Psychological , Drug Costs , Europe , Female , Humans , Insurance, Health , Life Expectancy , Long-Term Care , Poverty/statistics & numerical data , Retirement/statistics & numerical data , United StatesABSTRACT
Increasing longevity and declining fertility rates are shifting the age distribution of populations in industrialized countries toward older age groups. Some countries will experience this demographic shift before others will. In this DataWatch we compare the effects of population aging on health spending, retirement policies, use of long-term care services, workforce composition, and income across eight countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. International comparisons suggest that the United States is generally well positioned to cope with population aging; however, three areas should be carefully monitored: heavy reliance on private-sector funding of retirement, coverage of pharmaceuticals for the elderly, and a high proportion of private long-term care financing.
