A chart of global infant mortality rates in 2008

It is a conservative mantra that the United States has the best health care system in the world. But a just-released report casts doubt on this assertion by showing that health outcomes are worse in the United States than in 17 major developed countries (although the health care system is not the only factor).

Here are some highlights from the report, which was issued by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council:

• Ai??The U.S. Has Abysmal Life Expectancy: In the 17 developed countries studied, the United States ranked last in life expectancy for men. For women, the U.S. ranks second-last.
• Firearm Homicides Drag Down Life Expectancy: The report found that firearm homicides were twenty times higher in the United States than the other countries studied.
• Infant Mortality And Health Among Children Is Worse In The United States: The U.S. had the highest infant mortality rate among all countries studied. Meanwhile, it’s young people had the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases.

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