What's Killing White American Women?
The mysterious case of rising death rates in the world's richest country.
The rich world has got used to health and longevity getting better, and death rates falling 鈥 for everyone. But over the past few years data has been accumulating which suggests that this trend has stopped for poorly educated, white Americans. And for one group in particular - middle-aged women 鈥 death rates are going up. It鈥檚 a shocking finding, meaning many will die at a younger age than their mothers. What鈥檚 happening? Certainly, life is tough for many low-income American families. 鈥淲hat the data look like,鈥 says the economist Paul Krugman, 鈥渋s a society gripped by despair, with a surge of unhealthy behaviours and an epidemic of drugs.鈥 Is he right? Are the conditions of working class life in America killing white women?
Presenter: James Fletcher
(Image: A cemetery in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Credit: Getty Images)
Last on
More episodes
Clips
-
Constipation consternation
Duration: 00:52
-
An unexpected side-effect of racism
Duration: 00:57
Broadcasts
- Tue 10 May 2016 01:06GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Tue 10 May 2016 02:06GMT91热爆 World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Tue 10 May 2016 03:06GMT91热爆 World Service East Asia
- Tue 10 May 2016 04:06GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia & South Asia only
- Tue 10 May 2016 06:06GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa
- Tue 10 May 2016 14:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Tue 10 May 2016 21:06GMT91热爆 World Service except East and Southern Africa & News Internet
- Sun 15 May 2016 02:06GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia & South Asia only
- Sun 15 May 2016 04:06GMT91热爆 World Service except Australasia, News Internet & South Asia
Featured in...
The Best of The Inquiry
Of 100 episodes made over 2 years, these are our favourite 12 programmes
Podcast
-
The Inquiry
Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world