ABSTRACT
What are the vital signs for a nation comparable to those for an individual who presents seeking healthcare? Death rates are valid health indicators for countries and tabulated by all rich nations and estimated for many others. Various mortality rates are described along with life expectancy as a summary measure. Health in the United States had been declining before COVID-19 struck. We weren't paying attention, so Americans suffer the most deaths from the condition. Americans, whether rich or poor, die younger than counterparts in many other countries. Chapters detailing these issues are summarized. Healthcare matters much less than we think. Inequality kills. Early life lasts a lifetime. Poverty is bad for health. Within a country, health inequities, unfair health outcomes, predominate. Stress biology underlies worse health production. Political choices determine health outcomes. The United States needs health goals to avoid being dead first. The book concludes by specifying steps to take.
