This week we will examine important health indicator rates of countries. You will use the World Bank Data found here: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator#topic-8.
Scroll down to the topic “Health” and choose one (1) of the following indicators:
Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-19)
Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births)
Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births)
Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births)
Immunization, measles (% of children ages 12-23 months)
When you click on the health indicator of your choice, you will see a table with a list of 247 countries in the first column and dates in the top row. Look at the most recent year data and choose one (1) country to compare to the U.S.
Do not repeat indicator/country combinations as there are plenty to choose from.
State the year, rates of the indicator you chose for both the U.S. and the country you chose, as well as the name of the country. Include the units for the rates (ex. 6 deaths per 100,000 women) and discuss what it means and how they were calculated. Discuss the similarity/difference in these rates and why you believe the similarity/difference occurs?
Your post title should include the health indicator you chose and the country you chose to compare to the U.S. Do not repeat indicator/country combinations as there are plenty to choose from.
Must be at least 250 words
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, one of my duties is to assign coursework to my students that allows them to explore global health topics that are relevant to their field of study. This week’s assignment requires the students to examine important health indicator rates of different countries. They will use the World Bank Data to choose a specific health indicator and compare the rates of the chosen indicator between the US and another country.
Question:
What health indicator did you choose and what country did you compare to the U.S.?
I chose to examine the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and compared the rates between the US and Nigeria. According to the World Bank Data (2017), the MMR for the US was 17 per 100,000 live births, while Nigeria had a rate of 917 per 100,000 live births.
The MMR is an important health indicator because it measures the number of women who die as a result of pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. It is calculated by dividing the number of maternal deaths by the number of live births in the same year and then multiplied by 100,000.
The difference in MMR between the US and Nigeria is staggering, and it can be attributed to several factors. Nigeria has a high population density, and the majority of its citizens live in rural areas. Access to quality healthcare in rural areas is limited, and this makes it difficult to address maternal health issues. Additionally, Nigeria has a high rate of teenage pregnancies, which increases the risk of complications during childbirth.
In contrast, the US has a well-established healthcare system that provides access to quality prenatal and delivery care for most women. However, even in the US, disparities exist in maternal health outcomes. African American women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications than their white counterparts. This highlights the importance of addressing systemic racism and bias in healthcare delivery.
In conclusion, the MMR is a crucial health indicator that highlights gaps in maternal health outcomes between countries. Factors such as access to healthcare and social determinants of health contribute to the differences in MMR rates between the US and Nigeria. Addressing these disparities requires a multi-faceted approach that includes improving access to care, addressing social determinants of health, and tackling systemic racism in healthcare delivery.
#week #examine #important #health #indicator #rates
