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To the Editor: Dr Banks and colleagues¹ found significantly higher prevalences of several chronic conditions in the United States compared with England. They used 2002 data from a study population of persons between the ages of 55 and 64 years, middle-aged survivors of the 1938-1947 birth cohorts in both countries. An additional area for exploration would be comparison of the health experience of both birth cohorts.

The prevalence of any chronic condition is a function of disease incidence and disease duration. A higher prevalence of diabetes in the United States, for example, could arise from the occurrence of more cases of diabetes, longer survival of patients with diabetes, or both.² The interpretation of a comparison of disease prevalence between 2 populations depends on defining the contribution of each of these factors. Because a higher incidence would represent a health disadvantage and a greater survival rate would represent a health advantage . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Edward Whitney, MD
edward.whitney@state.co.us
Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation
Denver