The changing American health scene. Sometimes things get better
D. E. Rogers and R. J. Blendon
Since the increased efforts to improve medical care for Americans were
initiated 15 years ago, it is generally believed they had little impact on
the problems addressed. Review of national data suggests otherwise.
American medical care and health status are getting better. We have
improved the availability of physician services and largely eliminated the
gap between visits made by rich and poor, or white and black citizens. We
have greatly expanded the number of health professionals who provide
medical care. Better organized programs to provide care to groups with
special health problems have reduced both mortality and morbidity.
Age-adjusted death rates, infant and maternal mortality, and death rates
from coronary artery disease have fallen. While there remains an important
agenda for the future, there seems room for cautious optimism about the
abilities of American society to make forward progress.
