Question

1. Given our wealth and medical advances, why does the United States rank so low for life expectancy? (as of 12/07)?  What is the connection between income and health?

Answer 1

.People with lower incomes typically have less money to spend taking care of themselves, whether paying for visits to the doctor, medicine, or healthy food. Stress associated with a lower income, especially during childhood, increases risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.Meeting these needs is essential, and if we don't have enough money to do so, ourwellbeing suffers.

Income is related to health in three ways: through the gross national product of countries, the income of individuals, and the income inequalities among rich nations and among geographic areas. A central question is the degree to which these associations reflect a causal association. If so, redistribution of income would improve health.