By Dennis Thompson
THURSDAY, Oct. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The United States lags behind other advanced nations when it comes to infant mortality and the life expectancy of its citizens, according to a comprehensive review of global health statistics.
The health of U.S. citizens is specifically challenged by smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, drug abuse and gun violence, said study co-author Dr. Mohsen Naghavi. He's a professor with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The United States isn't meeting the high expectations set by the country's wealth and the amount it spends on health care, mainly because not all U.S. citizens benefit equally from their nation's advantages, Naghavi said.
"This comes from inequality in access to health care, along with other social and economic factors," he said.
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