Health Status and Health Care Services in Canada with comparison to the United States - Essay Example

Health Status and Health Care Services of Canada v. United s Affiliation: I. IntroductionThe United States spends twice the amount of money on health care expenditure on an annual basis but the different aspects of the health care system in Canada is way better compared to that of US. This is in terms of affordability, accessibility and availability. The research will make comparisons based on demographics of the population, the availability and usage of the health care institutions, general expenditure on health care for both countries by government and individual as well as the macro-environmental influences they elicit. II. Similarities and differencesa) Population Demographics1.

Demographic characteristicsIn both nations, whites took more health precaution and had better health status than any other race. The same can be said for women, married people and those earning more. 2. Infant mortality data and causesInfant mortality data is low in both nations with the leading causes of death being pregnancy complications and congenital malformations and deformations. 3. Quality of life Canadians are much healthier than the Americans and hence live 2 or 3 years longer than people in the US. b) Availability of health services1.

Care institutions descriptionMajority of the care institutions in both nations are well equipped to handle health care problems. US however has more specialized care institutions and which are well equipped than Canada. 2. Access of care servicesUnited State citizens had more access to health care services than the Canadians but many did not utilize them because of affordability. 3. Utilization of care servicesIn both nations, patients utilized the health care services of personal physicians more than that provided by the hospitals or community workers. c) Expenditures1.

Health services paymentMajority of Canadian’s pay for health care using the Medicaid and Medicare insurance and only spending minimal of their own money while in the US the opposite is true with high cost burden falling on the people with minimal government support until the Obama care was introduced. 2. Total expenditure dataOverall, the US spends more money on health care an approximate of twice what Canada spends which is almost $4000 per person per year and US almost $8000. d) Macro-environmental Influences1.

Political Politics have played a huge part in the presence or lack of affordability of proper health care services in both nations with one reducing and the other increasing cost.2. CulturalCultural beliefs hinder some groups of people from accessing better health care and this is a problem being experienced in both nations and contributes to the health status data. 3. SocioeconomicThe high cost of healthcare in the US is hindering the poor from accessing better health services hence affecting their general health status. 4. TechnologicalUS have better technological advancement in healthcare which is something that Canada lags behind in and should emulate it as well. III. Summarya) ProblemsProblem in Canadian health care is long waiting time but it is not as pronounced as the cost problem of healthcare in the US. b) OpportunitiesThe Obama care is an opportunity for the poor to afford health care and hence improve their health status.

Canada is increasing their health care budget to fund their institutions. IV. ConclusionOverall, Canada has a better health care system with better services which leads to the health status of the Canadians being better and longer than of the Americans. Canadians have better access to the services and spend less out of their pockets as the government covers majority of their expenses. The US has much to emulate from the Canadian government in as far as health care is concerned. V. ReferencesReferencesCDC. (2012). Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Project (CORD).

Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/researchproject.htmlCDC. (2013). More women getting Pap tests as recommended. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0103_pap_test.htmlNational Center for Health Statistics Web site. (2004). Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health, 2002–03. Retrieved from  http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/jcush_analyticalreport.pdf.OECD Health Data (2004). A Comparative Analysis of 30 Countries. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

OECD Health Data (2008). How Does Canada Compare. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2004). Health at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2003 World Health Organization. Composite International Diagnostic Interview. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/wmhcidiWorld Health Organization. International Classification of Functioning. (2005). Retrieved from http://www3.who.int/icf/intros/ICF-Eng-Intro.pdf