Avoidable deaths in the United States have been on the rise for more than a decade, a concerning trend highlighted in a recent study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health and Harvard University. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, compared mortality trends across U.S. states and 40 high-income countries, revealing a stark contrast between the U.S. and its peers.
While most high-income countries have seen a decrease in avoidable mortalities, the U.S. has experienced a troubling increase. Lead study author Irene Papanicolas, a professor at Brown’s School of Public Health, pointed to deep-seated issues in the American healthcare system and public policy as potential contributors to this trend. The study found that avoidable mortality in the U.S. continued to worsen from 2009 to 2021, while other countries showed improvement.
The researchers analyzed data from all 50 U.S. states, comparing it to data from countries in the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They found that avoidable mortality increased across the U.S. by 32.5 deaths per 100,000 people, while EU countries saw a decrease of 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people, and OECD countries saw a decrease of 22.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
The causes of avoidable deaths in the U.S. were varied, including road traffic accidents, vaccine-preventable illnesses, treatable conditions like sepsis, and conditions preventable by early detection and treatment such as cervical cancer and heart disease. Despite efforts to address specific causes like drug-related deaths and suicides, the study found that deaths from nearly all major categories were on the rise in every U.S. state.
Interestingly, the researchers did not find a clear association between health expenditures and avoidable mortality in the U.S., indicating that higher healthcare spending does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. This contrasts with the findings in other high-income countries, where increased healthcare spending was correlated with lower rates of avoidable mortality.
Papanicolas emphasized the need for U.S. policymakers to address this growing mortality gap and explore strategies to improve health outcomes. Moving forward, the research team plans to investigate what the U.S. can learn from other countries that have successfully reduced avoidable deaths.
The study serves as a call to action for the U.S. healthcare system to address systemic factors contributing to the rise in avoidable deaths. By identifying and implementing effective strategies, the U.S. can work towards improving health outcomes and reducing avoidable mortality in the future.
