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Health

US life expectancy: the eight Americas

By Peter Aldhous

13 September 2006

“ONE nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” So concludes the Pledge of Allegiance, that cornerstone of American patriotism.

But when it comes to life expectancy, the US is far from one nation. According to a new analysis of health disparities, there are in fact eight Americas – some of them more reminiscent of developing countries than a global superpower.

Life expectancy in the US varies widely by race and socioeconomic status. Now researchers led by Majid Ezzati of the Harvard School of Public Health have thrown geography into the mix. They examined death records for people in…

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