Even as health care spending per capita has increased in the U.S. over the last three decades, the nation has fallen behind 12 other wealthy nations in 15-year survival for men and women at ages 45 and 65.

By 2005, 15-year survival rates for 45-year-old white women in the U.S. were lower than in all comparison countries; these rates had not even surpassed 1975 survival rates for Swiss, Swedish, Dutch, or Japanese women.

U.S. white men ages 45 and 65 experienced declines in their rankings in 15-year survival rates among the comparison countries, but they were not as dramatic as the declines in rankings for women.

While smoking and obesity are two important behavior-related risk factors, they do not explain the nation?s deteriorating performance. Prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has grown more slowly in the U.S. than in other nations, and smoking prevalence has declined more rapidly.

via What Changes in Survival Rates Tell Us About U.S. Health Care – The Commonwealth Fund.