Find your risk of dying in U.S. and Europe

William Atkins
Saturday, 07 November 2009 18:14

Science - Health

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a website that predicts the probability of dying, based on 66 different health causes, in the various states of the United States versus the different countries of Europe, along with comparisons due to gender, age, and race.


The project was developed by Carnegie Mellon researchers and students.

It makes comparisons of the probability of dying in the countries of Europe versus the states of the United States for men and women, and for those of different ages and races.

Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Dr. Paul S. Fischbeck, a professor of Engineering and Public Policy and of Social and Decision Sciences at Carnegie Mellon, talks about the new website in the article “Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe.”

Dr. Fischbeck, one of the coordinators of the project, states, “Many of the lifestyle choices that we make as adults have negative health consequences. But once we reach retirement age, it appears that differences in the medical systems start to favor the U.S."

He adds, "The differences between U.S. and Europe in health care expenditures could not be starker. Starting at age 65, per capita U.S. expenditures skyrocket, resulting in many hundreds of billions of dollars being spent over our European counterparts after matching population sizes."

"A shift in policy could lead to more people reaching age 65, but once there, facing a higher chance of dying. In fact, if the U.S. had Germany's death rates, we would see 150,000 more annual deaths of those over 80."

Page two shows the website developed by the Carnegie Mellon researchers.