Thank you for this useful summary, keeping us focused on the fundamental outcomes.
I do, however, want to complain about your use of column charts where the baseline is not the baseline. The purpose of a column chart is to help the reader understand the relative magnitude of numbers by visually portraying the numbers as columns with heights that are proportional to the magnitude. The purpose of the baseline on a column chart is to line up the bottom of the columns, making it cognitively easier for the viewer to compare their heights. For example, they can see in your column chart on life expectancy that the 2023 life expectancy in Switzerland is about three times as high as the life expectancy in the US. But wait -- we have to look at the little numbers to the left of the vertical axis to see that the line pretending to be the baseline is not really a baseline, so the heights of the columns are not really in proportion to the life expectancies. That defeats the whole purpose of the column chart. To be admittedly dramatic, that is a type of visualization malpractice. In one of your charts, the little white angled zig zag gaps are intended to warn the reader that the baseline is not really the baseline. But, that still defeats the purpose of the column chart. If the purpose is to zoom in to show smaller differences than a proper column chart would reveal, then the right chart type is X,Y plot (AKA dot plot or scatter plot).
Merrill is absolutely correct that our our poor showing in the health statistics Olympics is not just a matter of failing to ensure that everybody in this country has health insurance. Other government policy can have an even bigger impact on the nation's health. And lest rich people think they are immune from the effects of wealth inequality, unequal education, dirty water and air, processed foods, and other factors that go into health and longevity, they are not. Rich Americans have shorter lives than rich Europeans, who have much higher taxes and much better education and other social services.
The most telling statistic of all, to me, is a comparison of total health spending in the US vs other high income countries. Total spending includes health care and spending on the socioeconomic determinants of health, like education and clean air. We are right about in the middle in terms of total spending, but we spend vastly more of that money on health care than any other country. We've made the health care industrial complex rich at the expense of the health of the nation.
Merrill, why don't you include that graph in your next post? it's pretty shocking.
Thank you for this useful summary, keeping us focused on the fundamental outcomes.
I do, however, want to complain about your use of column charts where the baseline is not the baseline. The purpose of a column chart is to help the reader understand the relative magnitude of numbers by visually portraying the numbers as columns with heights that are proportional to the magnitude. The purpose of the baseline on a column chart is to line up the bottom of the columns, making it cognitively easier for the viewer to compare their heights. For example, they can see in your column chart on life expectancy that the 2023 life expectancy in Switzerland is about three times as high as the life expectancy in the US. But wait -- we have to look at the little numbers to the left of the vertical axis to see that the line pretending to be the baseline is not really a baseline, so the heights of the columns are not really in proportion to the life expectancies. That defeats the whole purpose of the column chart. To be admittedly dramatic, that is a type of visualization malpractice. In one of your charts, the little white angled zig zag gaps are intended to warn the reader that the baseline is not really the baseline. But, that still defeats the purpose of the column chart. If the purpose is to zoom in to show smaller differences than a proper column chart would reveal, then the right chart type is X,Y plot (AKA dot plot or scatter plot).
Sorry for the niggle. Have a great 2025!
Great overview! But just to nitpick…there were probably more COVID deaths in China than in the US (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/10/23-0585_article) though undoubtedly fewer per capita and; I think the drop in opioid deaths in the United States deserves more attention. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240515.htm). Happy New Year!
Thanks for the yeoman work on this Merrill...your diligence and expertise are very much needed.
Merrill is absolutely correct that our our poor showing in the health statistics Olympics is not just a matter of failing to ensure that everybody in this country has health insurance. Other government policy can have an even bigger impact on the nation's health. And lest rich people think they are immune from the effects of wealth inequality, unequal education, dirty water and air, processed foods, and other factors that go into health and longevity, they are not. Rich Americans have shorter lives than rich Europeans, who have much higher taxes and much better education and other social services.
The most telling statistic of all, to me, is a comparison of total health spending in the US vs other high income countries. Total spending includes health care and spending on the socioeconomic determinants of health, like education and clean air. We are right about in the middle in terms of total spending, but we spend vastly more of that money on health care than any other country. We've made the health care industrial complex rich at the expense of the health of the nation.
Merrill, why don't you include that graph in your next post? it's pretty shocking.