The political polarization of health outcomes in the USA | Nature Human Behaviour
www.nature.com
Public health disparities provide an important lens for understanding social and political change in the USA. Using individual-level medical data and death records, this study shows that conservative Americans experienced worsening health and higher mortality than liberals during the 2010s. Here we find evidence consistent with two potential mechanisms. First, demographic realignment within political coalitions brought less healthy individuals into the conservative camp. Yet by the 2020s, demographic change, public policy and COVID-19 do not fully account for the widening gap in mortality rates. Public opinion data are consistent with a second mechanism: declining trust in medical professionals among right-leaning individuals, including lower willingness to seek care, follow clinical advice or believe in medication effectiveness, even for issues unrelated to COVID-19. These patterns suggest that growing ideological divides in health behaviours are leaving conservative Americans increasingly vulnerable to preventable health risks. Using individual-level medical data and death records, this study finds that conservatives in the USA experienced worse health and higher mortality than liberals during the 2010s. No significant gaps in biomarkers or mortality were present before the 2010s.
  • Dryad@lemmy.world
    361·
    15 hours ago

    It’s not just mistrust of medicine, its rejection of science, reason, and the idea that experts actually know what they’re talking about and aren’t just out to get you. Conservativism is now a cult where the only source of truth is the orange man, and science is only useful for him when it makes his ego feel good.

          • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
            1·
            19 minutes ago

            It’s a joke in the same way my wannabe highschool bully shoving his hands in my face and chanting I’m not touching you was a joke. Difference is my improved punchline was far better than any follow through either he or Kegsbreath could must, I punch him in the sternum and watched him gasp on the floor like a fish.

  • MrSulu@lemmy.mlEnglish
    5·
    14 hours ago

    When we were simple hunter gatherers, these people weeded themselves out as they are doing now. Hunter gatherers also had “socialist” lifestyles. Working together, looking after each other, the injured, the weak and the old. Quite remarkable

  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.works
    61·
    15 hours ago

    Yet by the 2020s, demographic change, public policy and COVID-19 do not fully account for the widening gap in mortality rates. Public opinion data are consistent with a second mechanism: declining trust in medical professionals among right-leaning individuals, including lower willingness to seek care, follow clinical advice or believe in medication effectiveness, even for issues unrelated to COVID-19. These patterns suggest that growing ideological divides in health behaviours are leaving conservative Americans increasingly vulnerable to preventable health risks.