So gesund fühlen sich Senioren in der EU

Ein erstaunliches Gefälle zwischen den Mitgliedsländern der EU! Ziemlich unerwartet!

Wie gross ist der Unterschied zwischen gesund fühlen und tatsächlich gesund sein? Eine ungeklärte Frage!

So gesund fühlen sich Senioren in der EU - iwd.de "Fragt man die Älteren in den EU-Mitgliedsstaaten, wie es ihnen gesundheitlich geht, erhält man je nach Land positivere oder pessimistischere Einschätzungen. Die Senioren in Deutschland halten sich, wenig überraschend, für vergleichweise krank."

US Veterans Affairs ends nearly all abortion procedures at VA medical centers

Was offering abortion procedures in the US military ever necessary?

"... Between September 2022 and August 2025, the VA had covered or provided abortions to roughly 100 veterans and 40 CHAMPVA patients, according to data provided by the VA. ..."

VA ends nearly all abortion procedures at medical centers

Illegal-alien patients drain Texas hospitals, racking up billion-dollar bill — in less than a year

Of course, millions of illegal immigrants within a few years become a burden on the lower end housing market and the health care system.

Some of the illegal immigrants may even have come to the US for the main purpose to seek medical treatment!

"... According to the new data, the total visits between November 2024 and August 2025 reached 313,742 for those "not legally present." ...

And the total cost tipped over the billion-dollar mark: $1,050,642,864. ..."

Illegal-alien patients drain Texas hospitals, racking up billion-dollar bill — in less than a year | Blaze Media

Introducing ChatGPT Health | OpenAI, but there is a waitlist and geographic restrictions

Good news! Your 24 hours * 365 days doctor is ready to take care of you!

However, this is still a trial for a group of early users. There are apparently also some geographic restrictions as to who can sign up.

"... based on our de-identified analysis of conversations, over 230 million people globally ask health and wellness related questions on ChatGPT every week.

ChatGPT Health builds on the strong privacy, security, and data controls across ChatGPT with additional, layered protections designed specifically for health— including purpose-built encryption and isolation to keep health conversations protected and compartmentalized.

You can securely connect medical records and wellness apps to ground conversations in your own health information, so responses are more relevant and useful to you. Designed in close collaboration with physicians, ChatGPT Health helps people take a more active role in understanding and managing their health and wellness—while supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians. ...

If you’re interested in getting access as it becomes available, you can sign up for the waitlist⁠. We’re starting by providing access to a small group of early users to learn and continue refining the experience—users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are eligible. ...

Medical record integrations and some apps are available in the U.S. only, and connecting Apple Health requires iOS. ..."

Introducing ChatGPT Health | OpenAI

Explosive growth in the US of doctors choosing direct primary care

Recommendable! "What was a niche aspect of medical care just a few years ago has exploded to thousands of practices across the country. In direct primary care, medical providers don’t take insurance. Instead, their patients pay a monthly subscription fee."

However, what if e.g. you need to see a specialist as a follow up? The video is mute on this issue.

California is cutting back on (illegal?) immigrant healthcare and ask immigrants to pay for health insurance

Good news! Who would have thought this would happen? However, these appear to be very minor corrections.

"The state’s Medicaid program will stop accepting adults with what the government calls “unsatisfactory” immigration status, and will require such immigrants who are already enrolled to pay a $30 monthly premium to keep their health coverage starting in mid-2027. It is a striking policy U-turn for Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom that comes as costs associated to the program have soared, contributing to a widening state budget deficit.  "

The Wall Street Journal What's news

At least five States broke Law with Medicaid Coverage for Illegal Immigrants totaling more than $1 billion

Was it intentional, ignorance, or lack of supervision?

"... A new federal audit reveals that five states have spent a total of more than $1 billion providing Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants. ...

The Trump administration has vowed to claw back these misspent public funds. ..."

States Break Law with Medicaid Coverage for Illegal Immigrants - Pacific Research Institute "By using dubious legal workarounds to bring a growing number of illegal immigrants onto Medicaid’s rolls, leaders in states like California, Illinois, Colorado, and Oregon are moving the program in the wrong direction. And they’re flouting federal law in the process."

U.S. and European aid cuts—the first time in decades that France, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. are all cutting aid at the same time

Concerning! However, it is also time for other countries to increase their foreign aid!

The 22 million + preventable deaths forecast by 2030 is probably is probably largely rubbish! It seems e.g. to be based on a "severe defunding scenario". The underlying study seems to be void of charts and tables, kind of odd!

"22 million people+, including many children, could die from preventable causes by 2030 as a result of U.S. and European aid cuts—the first time in decades that France, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. are all cutting aid at the same time, per a new analysis submitted to The Lancet Global Health (not yet published, pending peer review). ..."

Global Health NOW: Low-Hanging Fruit for the ‘America First’ Global Health Strategy; and Vision for a Dementia Village

Western aid cuts could cause 22.6 million deaths by 2030, study warns "Cuts to international aid by the US and European countries could cause more than 22 million preventable deaths by 2030, including 5.4 million children under five, a new research has warned on Monday, highlighting the unprecedented global impact of simultaneous reductions in development assistance."

Global Aid Cuts Could Reverse Decades of Progress in Health and Development "A study led by ISGlobal warns that a severe defunding scenario could lead to more than 22 million preventable deaths by 2030 if current trends continue"

Resident doctors in England are on strike over pay and working conditions, their 13th strike since 2023

Usually, doctors strikes are rare in most Western countries for a good reason! And this is the 13th such strike since 2023! Insane!

Doctors (including resident doctors) are really not the poorest of the poorest in terms of income!

According to Google: "Resident doctors in England are on strike over pay and working conditions, demanding a 26% pay increase to restore their earnings to 2008 levels after inflation. The government contends that doctors have received significant pay raises recently, while the British Medical Association (BMA) argues these increases are insufficient. This strike is the 13th since March 2023 and is expected to cause significant disruption to NHS services, including appointments and operations. 

Key details of the strike:

Duration: A five-day strike began on Friday, November 14, 2025, and is scheduled to last until November 19.

Demands: The BMA is calling for a 26% pay rise to restore doctors' pay to 2008 real-terms value, citing a significant erosion of earnings over the years. The BMA also mentions issues with working conditions and training costs.

Government response: The government states that pay has already risen by almost 30% over the past three years but maintains that the BMA's demands are too high and will lead to further disruption.

Impact: The strikes have already led to the rescheduling of millions of appointments and operations, and further disruption is expected. ..."

The Obamacare secret at the heart of the shutdown: insurers made billions at taxpayer expense

Quite possibly the Dimocratic Party and the senile, demented and corrupt 46th President expanded and extended a generous, one-time and short-term Covid-19 emergency measure that should have long expired!

I don't claim to be an expert of this matter nor do I know the details of this matter. 

"... A Just the News analysis of public financial records from four of the nation’s largest health insurance companies found that net earnings ballooned about 216% from 2010 to 2024. UnitedHealth Group in particular, which dominates the industry with a market share of around 15%, saw the largest explosion of profits. The other three companies, Elevance, Centene, and Cigna also experienced a marked growth in net earnings after the implementation of Obamacare. ..."

The Obamacare secret at the heart of the shutdown: insurers made billions at taxpayer expense | Just The News "Subsidies were greatly expanded by the Biden administration during the COVID-19 pandemic as an emergency measure, but Democrats have fought to keep them permanent. Those subsidies went mostly to Democratic donors."

Canada loses measles elimination status after three decades

Canada is going downhill after Justin Trudeau!

Canada has fewer doctors, hospital beds, MRI machines—and longer wait times—than most other countries with universal health care

Not all is well in Canada! This is not flattering!

"Of the 31 high-income universal health-care countries, Canada ranks among the highest spenders, but ranks poorly on both the availability of most resources and access to services."

Comparing Performance of Universal Health Care Countries, 2025 | Fraser Institute

Meeting the mental health needs of formerly and of current incarcerated people

This is a huge skandal! Prisons should not be wardens for mentally ill individuals!

"An estimated two in five people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Most receive no treatment for their mental health issues during their incarceration in state and federal prisons. 

When they are released, these people are often still coping with mental health problems. But care can be equally hard for them to find on the outside, especially while they are struggling to get on their feet. ...

Their mental health problems tend to be quite complex. Most people we see carry multiple diagnoses. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and substance-use disorder, or schizophrenia and substance-use disorder, as well as anxiety, depression, bipolar, personality disorder. They are also generally a pretty treatment-naïve group of individuals. Even if they are mandated treatment while still incarcerated, they might not totally receive it because of long waitlists and just not having enough clinicians in the facilities. And what they get is typically not evidence based. ..."

Meeting the mental health needs of formerly incarcerated people | Yale News

New research reveals alarming decline in U.S. children’s health. Really!

Another one of those articles claiming a failing or inferior health care system in the US versus other rich countries! This kind of demagoguery has been repeated many times over several decades!

Making those repeated, but dubious claims is good business for doctors and public health officials etc.!

If other countries had e.g. as many guns owned by private citizens and as many young drivers and as many immigrants like the US, the statistics would be much more similar across these countries.

Then there is the issue of improved diagnostics, overdiagnosis, and intensified focus on health issues of children over time and so on ...

As Mark Twain once so famously said: “Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics’”.

"Key takeaways

• U.S. children and teens were nearly twice as likely to die as their peers in 18 other high-income countries between 2007 and 2022, researchers found.
• Among 3- to 17-year-olds, the prevalence of chronic conditions increased from 39.9% to 45.7% in pediatric health systems.
• Childhood obesity increased from 17.0% to 20.9%. 

... The study found that U.S. children and teens were nearly twice as likely to die as their peers in 18 other high-income countries between 2007 and 2022. Leading causes of death included firearm injuries, motor vehicle crashes and infant deaths due to prematurity and sudden unexpected infant death.  ..."

From the key points and abstract:

"Key Points

Question  How has US children’s health—ie, mortality, chronic conditions, obesity, functional status, and symptoms—changed from 2007 to 2023?

Findings  Temporal trends from 2007 to 2023 have significantly worsened for child mortality; chronic physical, developmental, and mental health conditions; obesity; sleep health; early puberty; limitations in activity; and physical and emotional symptoms.

Meaning  US children’s health has deteriorated across a broad spectrum of indicators, highlighting the need to identify the root causes of this fundamental decline in the nation’s health.

Abstract

Importance

Recent scientific and policy statements suggest that child health may be worsening in the US.

Objective

To determine how US children’s health has been changing from 2007 to 2023 using multiple data collection methods and a comprehensive set of health indicators.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Repeated, cross-sectional analyses using mortality statistics from the US and 18 comparator high-income nations from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD18), 5 nationally representative surveys, and electronic health records from 10 pediatric health systems (PEDSnet).

The populations included individuals younger than 20 years old. Unweighted denominator sample size ranges were 1623 to 95 677 across the surveys, 1 026 926 to 2 114 638 for PEDSnet, 81.9 million to 83.2 million in the US, and 118.4 million to 121.1 million in the OECD18 for mortality statistics.

Exposure  Calendar time.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Rate ratios (RRs) and annual incidence for mortality and prevalence for chronic physical, developmental, and mental health conditions, functional status, and symptoms.

Results

From 2007 to 2022,

infants (<1 year old) were 1.78 (95% CI, 1.78-1.79) and

1- to 19-year-old individuals were 1.80 (95% CI, 1.80-1.80)

times more likely to die in the US than in the OECD18. 

The 2 causes of death with the largest net difference between the US and OECD18 were prematurity (RR, 2.22 [95% CI, 2.20-2.24]) and sudden unexpected infant death (RR, 2.39 [95% CI, 2.35-2.43]) for infants 12 months or younger, and firearm-related incidents (RR, 15.34 [95% CI, 14.89-15.80]) and motor vehicle crashes (RR, 2.45 [95% CI, 2.42-2.48]) for 1- to 19-year-old individuals. From 2011 to 2023, the prevalence of 3- to 17-year-old individuals with a chronic condition rose from 39.9% to 45.7% (RR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.14-1.15]) within PEDSnet, and from 25.8% to 31.0% (RR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.20-1.20]) within the general population. Rates of obesity, early onset of menstruation, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, physical symptoms, depressive symptoms, and loneliness all increased during the study period.

Conclusions and Relevance

The health of US children has worsened across a wide range of health indicator domains over the past 17 years. The broad scope of this deterioration highlights the need to identify and address the root causes of this fundamental decline in the nation’s health."

New research reveals alarming decline in U.S. children’s health | UCLA "Comprehensive 17-year study finds rising mortality, chronic illness and mental health challenges among U.S. children and youth"

Original Investigation: Trends in US Children’s Mortality, Chronic Conditions, Obesity, Functional Status, and Symptoms (no public access)

Over the past 30 years, the global age-standardized suicide mortality rate fell ~40%

Good news!

It appears the male suicide rate is twice as high as that of females possibly due to more deadlier means (e.g. firearms) used by males and suicide committing females being saved in time by medical care.

"Over the past 30 years, the global age-standardized suicide mortality rate fell ~40%—”indicating that intervention and prevention are working,” per the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington—which yesterday published “the most comprehensive analysis of the global burden of suicide to date” in The Lancet Public Health. 

But: ~740,000 suicides are reported annually worldwide—which equals one death every 43 seconds. 

And progress is not universal, with increases reported across Central Latin America, Andean Latin America, tropical Latin America, and high-income North America.

Background: The analysis draws from 204 countries and territories, and expands on previously published data spanning from 1990 to 2016. 

Key findings include: 

More deaths among men: The number of deaths for males was 2X+ that for females. 

Later in life: The mean age of death at the time of suicide has been steadily rising. Researchers posited that one reason may be suicide prevention efforts focused on younger people. ...

Related: Is suicide prevention finally working in India? Lancet study shows how suicide death rate went down by 30% from 1990 to 2021 — The Indian Express"

From the abstract:

"Background

Deaths from suicide are a tragic yet preventable cause of mortality. Quantifying the burden of suicide to understand its geographical distribution, temporal trends, and variation by age and sex is an essential step in suicide prevention. We aimed to present a comprehensive set of global, regional, and national estimates of suicide burden.

Methods

We produced estimates of the number of deaths and age-standardised mortality rates of suicide globally, regionally, and for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021, and disaggregated these results by age and sex. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 estimates of deaths attributable to suicide were broken down into two comprehensive categories:

those by firearms and those by other specified means.

For this analysis, we also produced estimates of mean age at the time of death from suicide, incidence of suicide attempts compared with deaths, and age-standardised rates of suicide by firearm. We acquired data from vital registration, verbal autopsy, and mortality surveillance that included 23 782 study-location-years of data from GBD 2021. ...

Findings

Globally, 746 000 deaths (95% UI 692 000–800 000) from suicide occurred in 2021, including 

519 000 deaths (485 000–556 000) among males and 227 000 (200 000–255 000) among females.

The age-standardised mortality rate has declined over time, from 14·9 deaths (12·8–15·7) per 100 000 population in 1990 to 9·0 (8·3–9·6) per 100 000 in 2021.

 

Regionally, mortality rates due to suicide were highest in eastern Europe (19·2 [17·5–20·8] per 100 000), southern sub-Saharan Africa (16·1 [14·0–18·3] per 100 000), and central sub-Saharan Africa (14·4 [11·0–19·1] per 100 000).

The mean age at which individuals died from suicide progressively increased during the study period. For males, the mean age at death by suicide in 1990 was 43·0 years (38·0–45·8), increasing to 47·0 years (43·5–50·6) in 2021. For females, it was 41·9 years (30·9–46·7) in 1990 and 46·9 years (41·2–52·8) in 2021.

The incidence of suicide attempts requiring medical care was consistently higher at the regional level for females than for males.

The number of deaths by suicide using firearms was higher for males than for females, and substantially varied by country and region. The countries with the highest age-standardised rate of suicides attributable to firearms in 2021 were the USA, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Interpretation

Deaths from suicide remain variable by age and sex and across geographical locations, although population mortality rates have continued to improve globally since the 1990s. This study presents, for the first time in GBD, a quantification of the mean age at the time of suicide death, alongside comprehensive estimates of the burden of suicide throughout the world. These analyses will help guide future approaches to reduce suicide mortality that consider a public health framework for prevention"

Funding

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation."

"Key takeaways:

• Every minute, four males and six females need inpatient treatment due to suicide attempts.
• Males die from suicide at twice the rate of females, and their attempts result in death three times more often than female attempts.
• Globally, 10% of suicides by males and 3% by females were with guns. In the U.S., 55% by males and 31% by females were with guns. 
• Between 1990 and 2021, the global age-standardized death rate for suicide declined by almost 40%, indicating that intervention and prevention are working.
• Despite this progress, suicides increased 39% in Central Latin America, 13% in Andean Latin America, 9% in Tropical Latin America, and 7% in high-income North America.

..."

Global Health NOW: A Deeper Look at Global Suicide; Why Latin America Needs Its Own CDC; and All Verklempt Over a Fishʼs Ascent

About 740,000 global deaths from suicide occur annually—that’s one death every 43 seconds

Global, regional, and national burden of suicide, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Mass Health Care Layoffs Across Africa thanks to Trump. Really!

So African countries are not able to pay for medical staff themselves? They are so dependent on US taxpayers?

Another case of Trump Derangement Syndrome!

"In health systems across Africa, tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and other health workers at U.S.-funded programs have been laid off, as the fallout continues from the Trump administration’s abrupt freeze on foreign funding.

In Uganda, ~3,000 doctors, nurses, and other health personnel have lost their jobs, per the Ugandan Medical Association. 

In Kenya, hundreds of layoffs have already taken effect at key hospitals; ~41,000 health workers in the country are employed with funding from USAID or PEPFAR, health officials estimate. ..."

Global Health NOW: A Deeper Look at Global Suicide; Why Latin America Needs Its Own CDC; and All Verklempt Over a Fishʼs Ascent

Top 46th President (former) antitrust official Jonathan Kanter calls for breaking up giant health care firms. Really!

What a joke! This man was the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division from 2021 until end of 2024. What has he done or accomplished during this time?

After he left office he announces in an interview his great plans! What a bright genius this guy is!

How many such fools/clowns were part of the administration of the senile, demented and corrupt 46th President! Another such fool was Antony Blinken. When was the last time you heard anything from Blink?

"The health care system has failed Americans, and government officials need to consider breaking up the powerful companies that have price-gouged patients and suppressed competition, the Biden administration’s top antitrust official said in an exclusive interview with STAT."

Top antitrust official calls for breaking up giant health care firms "Jonathan Kanter worries ‘one or two companies’ will wield ‘massive amount of power’"

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2024 Report

Government run healthcare can make you really sick! No effective alternatives other than medical tourism for those who can afford it!

Google Search result: "Canada's health care system is a publicly funded, universal system that provides access to medically necessary hospital and physician services without out-of-pocket costs"

"In 2024, physicians across Canada reported a median wait time of 30.0 weeks between a referral from a GP and receipt of treatment. Up from 27.7 in 2023. ..."

Caveat: Be always alert and cautious when only single year pairwise comparisons are provided like in this case where 2024 is compared only with 1993. Selection bias? Misleading?

Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2024 Report | Fraser Institute

‘Game changer’: Donald Trump selects RFK Jr to lead top US health agency

Recommendable (but only the first 4.5 minutes of this video)! We will find out how this works out!

China to allow wholly foreign-owned hospitals to lure investment

That is an interesting move for a communist party! Piece-meal capitalism?

"China's Ministry of Commerce announced Sunday that wholly foreign-owned hospitals will be allowed in selected major cities, as the government steps up efforts to stop a slide in foreign direct investment.

Under an expanded pilot program to promote market liberalization in the health care sector, the ministry identified target locations including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Another is Hainan, where the government aims to develop the southern island province into a "high-level" free-trade zone by 2035."

China to allow wholly foreign-owned hospitals to lure investment - Nikkei Asia "Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hainan among major locations identified for initiative"