In today’s Health Alert, a new study shows that American women have lower life expectancies and face the highest rate of preventable deaths compared to 14 other high-income countries.

This study comes from the Commonwealth Fund. The researchers found that women in the United States live to about 80 years of age, which is the shortest life expectancy among the 14 high-income countries studied. On average, American women live two years less than their peers in the United Kingdom, four years less than in Canada, six years less than in France, and seven years less than in Japan. This is despite the fact that the United States spends more money on health care than these other countries.

When it comes to cause of death, heart disease is the most common problem for women in the United States. Of the 14 countries, the United States has the highest number of women dying from heart disease. Unfortunately, the rate is more than double that of some other countries.

Also in terms of health status, women in the U.S. are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases than their peers in most other countries. They also tend to take many more prescription medications, with about a quarter of them regularly taking at least four different medications. Among black women in the U.S., the figure is nearly 40% who take four or more prescription medications. In addition, American women are more likely to forgo mental health services and have some of the highest rates of mental health and social needs.

U.S. women have the highest mortality rate for preventable deaths, more than three times that of women in Korea and Japan.

The United States is the only wealthy country in this study without universal health coverage, so it’s no surprise that women face major challenges here. In 2023, 14% of women ages 19 to 64 were uninsured, with over a quarter of Hispanic women affected.

Half of women in the United States report forgoing or delaying necessary medical care because of cost. And they are less likely to have a primary care doctor. In addition, Hispanic and black women are most likely to report having at least one social need, such as concerns about food, shelter or a steady income.

To improve the situation, it is important to advocate for better health policies and support programs that address both health and social needs. And remember: seeing your doctor regularly can really help you keep an eye on your health and detect problems early.

This week on the Dr. Nandi Show

As a healthcare hero, your mental health is one of the most important things to Dr. Partha Nandi. In this episode, he tackles the incredibly difficult subject of suicide with Ruth Soukup, a suicide survivor, and two other guests whose families have been affected by the loss of a loved one. Do you think one of your loved ones may be having suicidal thoughts? Find out the signs with Dr. Suvrat Bhargave. Plus, author Steve Simpson talks to Dr. Nandi about how Hollywood is changing mental health awareness. Tune in this Saturday, August 17.^th at 12:30 p.m. to watch “Suicide – how can we stop this epidemic?”