Health and Education: Cuba Vs. the United States
How does Cuba compare to the United States when it comes to health and education?
July 8, 2002
1. Life expectancy is just about the same in both Cuba and the United States. Whether you are born in Havanna or in Miami, you can expect to live 76 years.
2. Among adult Cuban males, the mortality rate is actually lower than in the United States.
3. Cuba’s health system provides almost two times the number of physicians per 1,000 people that the United States can supply.
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| Basic Health Statistics | |||||
| USA | Cuba | Leader? | |||
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| Basic indicators | |||||
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | 76 | 76 | = | ||
| Mortality (infants, per 1,000) | 7 | 7 | = | ||
| Mortality (adult males, per 1,000) | 150 | 125 | Cuba | ||
| Mortality (adult females, per 1,000) | 80 | 80 | = | ||
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| Health finance | |||||
| Total expenditures (% GDP) | 13.3 | 9.6 | USA | ||
| Public expenditures (% GDP) | 6.2 | 8.4 | Cuba | ||
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| Health services | |||||
| Physicians (per 1,000 people) | 2.7 | 5.3 | Cuba | ||
| Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) | 4.0 | 5.1 | Cuba | ||
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