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Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 3:27:24 PM   
meatcleaver


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Status: offline 		A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that white middleaged Americans, even though they spend twice as much on healthcare as their English counterparts suffer far higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, strokes, lung disease and cancer.

The reason is not down to Americans being more overweight than the English, this was adjusted for in the survey. Its not down to teh English having free health care, the wealthiest Americans were reported to be more unhealthy than the poorest English. Nor is it down to minorities, the report focused on non-Hispanic whites.

“It was a bit of a big shock,” confessed Dr Michael Marmot, one of the study’s authors. “Everybody should be discussing it: why isn’t the richest country in the world the healthiest country in the world?” One of the Americans who worked with him on the research said that, at first, no one wanted to believe the data. But the results are clear. The only question is, why?
 
The article goes on to speculate that Americans working too much is probably the problem. Leaving them highly stressed and with little time to work on relationships. Apparently above a certain level of income, extra money doesn't make people healthier, strong relationships and relinquishing the desire to keep up with the neighbours does.

< Message edited by meatcleaver -- 5/25/2006 3:29:41 PM >
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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 4:13:11 PM   
juliaoceania


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From: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Status: offline 		We definitely are not getting our money's worth are we? Oh those horrid socialists are trying to kill us with their state healthcare...LOLOLOLOL

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 5:42:48 PM   
Lordandmaster


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Status: offline 		Why was it a bit of a shock?  The U.S. is nowhere near the top by any other measure of healthcare, either.

quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver

“It was a bit of a big shock,” confessed Dr Michael Marmot, one of the study’s authors.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 6:03:27 PM   
ScooterTrash


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Joined: 1/24/2005
From: Indiana
Status: offline 		I was researching vacation policies, when my company was entertaining the idea of adding a 4th week of vacation for long term employees (over 20 years). I found that American workers have, on the average, less vacation than most any other country and substantially less than many European countries. It was suggested that this lack of recreational time away from the workplace caused extra stress and potential health problems. I don't know how valid the information was with regard to health, but it did make sense.
 
On a sidenote; our company elected NOT to grant the additional vacation as there didn't appear to be any benefit to the company for doing so, at least monetarily. It seems this logic came up because turnover was small in the long term employee category (I'm in that category). I tried to explain (it's a committee by the way) that the turnover was small because they had been there so long it would be difficult to quit and then pick up where they left off at another company, not because they were necessarily thrilled with the work environment. What I learned? Never try to reason with your company's President..they just don't get it...lol.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 7:41:04 PM   
juliaoceania


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Status: offline 		This is why we need more unions in this country, not less. The workers movements of the turn of the 20th century existed for a reason, and we forget that. Our grandparents/great grandparents worked for worker's rights, like 40 hour work week, vacations, weekends, holidays, time and a half pay.. and we do not even work to protect those gains, much less make more gains. There was a time when we had no protections like unemployment or disability or workman's compensation. These gains are being cut into by the corporate powers that really run things in this country, and people are just damn apathetic.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/25/2006 7:50:34 PM   
cloudboy


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Welcome to the land of the "free."

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/26/2006 12:30:44 AM   
meatcleaver


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quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy


Welcome to the land of the "free."


What made me stop in my tracks when I saw this article is that it compares Americans to English and not Europeans.  We English are far from the healthiest people in western Europe apparently and the reason often put forward, is our lack of holidays compared to other Europeans.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/26/2006 11:46:06 AM   
ScooterTrash


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quote:

ORIGINAL: juliaoceania

This is why we need more unions in this country, not less. The workers movements of the turn of the 20th century existed for a reason, and we forget that. Our grandparents/great grandparents worked for worker's rights, like 40 hour work week, vacations, weekends, holidays, time and a half pay.. and we do not even work to protect those gains, much less make more gains. There was a time when we had no protections like unemployment or disability or workman's compensation. These gains are being cut into by the corporate powers that really run things in this country, and people are just damn apathetic.
I respectfully disagree and don't want to hijack the thread (sorry meatcleaver), but I can't let this just go. I was raised around UAW (both parents were autoworkers) and although some of the items you point out were positive things, there was a whole lot of crap that came with the package...the sort of things that have now made American manufacturers struggle to simply be competitive, Delphi being a perfect current example. For textile mills (sweatshops), coal miners and perhaps the early days of many factories, it was a good thing, but it was a good thing that got way out of hand. I can speak and debate with company executives on an even level and although I've lost many battles, I have won a few too. The last thing I want is someone "acting" like they are trying to fight my battles for me. No offense to anyone who likes and relies on their union affiliation, but personally I won't have anything to do with them.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/26/2006 11:54:58 AM   
LaTigresse


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Status: offline 		I have seen too much of the negative aspects unions bring. I was forced into hiring a former union worker, never again! I would never work in a union shop. I do a very good job getting my way and if I didn't I would go work someplace else. We pay better than the union equivilants and there are no dues. We get a decent amount of vacation and personal days. We do not need a greedy middleman to share in our paychecks and "negotiate" for us.

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RE: Americans work too hard? - 5/26/2006 5:31:16 PM   
Lordandmaster


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Status: offline 		Yeah, I think the problem is a little more complicated than just the decline of unions.  That may have something to do with it, of course, but let's not forget that many unions are responsible for their own decline.  (Ever heard of Jimmy Hoffa?)  I'd say the real culprit is the way we've allowed corporations to take over the country.  That is going to have to be reversed at the ballot box.

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