The United States has the highest “disease burden” among all countries, with Americans spending an average of over 12 years suffering from disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A global survey of 183 WHO member nations found that the US had the largest healthspan-lifespan gap, meaning it has the greatest difference between healthy life expectancy and actual lifespan. Globally, most people struggle with disease for around 9.6 years, but Americans face this issue for an average of 12.4 years.
Australia and New Zealand were close behind in terms of healthspan-lifespan gaps, with 12.1 and 11.8 years respectively. The study also found that women have a larger healthspan-lifespan gap than men, due to higher rates of musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis, tendonitis, and osteoporosis.
Despite increased life expectancy in the US, only around 63% of actual lifespan is healthy. This disparity is attributed to mental and substance use disorders, along with musculoskeletal diseases. The study highlights that while people live longer globally, they actually spend more years dealing with disease.
Source: https://people.com/americans-spend-more-than-12-years-of-their-lives-burdened-by-disease-8773321