Compared with their counterparts in other developed countries, older adults in the United States are sicker, see more doctors, take more prescription drugs, and have a harder time affording the care they need, according to a new Commonwealth Fund survey of people age 65 and up.
The results, published by Health Affairs, show 87 percent of older men and women in the U.S. have at least one chronic illness and 68 percent have two or more—the highest rates among the 11 countries surveyed, which also include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
There were some bright spots for the U.S., however, including aspects of chronic disease management, patient–doctor communication, specialty care access, and end-of-life planning.