Why are People Dying in Mexico, But Not the U.S.?: Excelsior of Mexico
It’s the question on everyone’s lips – but one that so far, few have answered: Why have so many died in Mexico of the new H1N1 flu virus, but only one – so far – in the United States?
Looking for an answer, Leo Zuckermann, for Mexico’s Excelsior, writes in part:
“When I get a fever in Mexico, I telephone my doctor. He’s a friend who knows me perfectly. He asks me about my symptoms, makes an initial diagnosis and usually issues me a prescription over the phone. He only asks me to come see him if he thinks my condition is very serious.”
“This type of treatment is unthinkable in the United States. Doctors in the U.S. live in constant terror. If they make a mistake, the patient can sue them and win an ungodly amount of money. In this way, the incentives of the U.S. system render physicians extremely cautious. It’s not by chance, then, that all the sick end up coming to see their doctors. Since people who use the public health system in Mexico have to wait on endless lines to see a doctor, they only go when they are gravely ill.”
By Leo Zuckermann
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
April 28, 2009
Mexico – Excelsior – Original Article (Spanish)
While in Mexico more over 100 people have died in the epidemic of swine flu, out of twenty cases that have appeared in the United States, none have been fatal. At the moment, there is no scientific explanation for this disparity. Nevertheless, I suspect that it has to do with the difference in health care systems of the two countries. I’ve had an opportunity to live on both sides of Rio Bravo and consequently I’m familiar with both systems. I have fallen ill here and there, and can assure you that these are two very different worlds.
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10 Responses to “Why are People Dying in Mexico, But Not the U.S.?: Excelsior of Mexico”
Hmmm. That sounds fine, theoretically. Except that the one U.S. death here in Houston was actually a Mexican citizen who was receiving treatment at the finest medical facilities our country has to offer. So… ?
Add to that, btw, that some people here are acting really stupid about it.
I don't buy that explanation either. There isn't much that can be done to stop the progression of a virus other than trying to give anti-virals and intensive support. It would be one thing if there were a lot of people being hospitalized in the US, but as far as I've read, it's not even clear that they are getting much treatment at all.
Since people in Mexico only go to the doctor if seriously ill, the actual number of flu cases in Mexico is probably much greater than reported. This inflates the mortality rate since the actual denominator is much higher than the reported one.
DaGoat, the question of the mortality rate really is what's setting people on edge. I like your thinking. It's a warm fuzzy.
And… they just announced the first confirmed case of this flu in my own county, now. It would be dandy if we — any of us — had decent info on that rate.
… You're assuming that the baby didn't get sick until after it arrived in the US – and that the parents behaved like Americans and promptly took it to see a doctor.
CDC has confirmed that swine flu is susceptible to anti-viral treatment, but only if administered within 48 hours of infection.
“Since people who use the public health system in Mexico have to wait on endless lines to see a doctor, they only go when they are gravely ill.”
Ergo, a failure of nationalized healthcare.
Yes, with entirely private care, most of the nation could get no care, and then the lines would be a lot shorter.
I'm not making any assumptions — or maybe I should say that I'm trying NOT to.
The timeline is out there in all the coverage. Sounds to me as if he (and his family) arrived in Brownsville April 4, came down with a fever 4 days later, and got progressively sicker. Ended up in Houston and… well… you already know how that story ends.
What strikes me as strange in this dialogue is why there's an assumption that people would naturally to straight to a medical professional when presented with the symptoms of the ordinary flu? I don't know about y'all, but I don't rush Adorable Child into the doctor at the first cough or fever. I've been a parent too long to panic like that.
And that's the other thing about this article that strikes me oddly: the assumption that Americans rush right off to a doctor at the drop of a hat. In my experience, that's not how it goes.
Do the math.
There are 91 diagnosed cases of swine flu in the States as of this writing and the mortality rate for Mexico, with larger numbers of cases, is in the range of 5%. That number is much higher than the Spanish Flu mortality rate of 1917-1919 which was 2.5% world wide and is most likely not a true percentage.
If you take the 2.5% number the fatality number should be around 2 deaths. Remember that Spanish flu number was at a time when we had no respiratory support machines, no anti-biotics and almost a hundred years of medical science later.
Take the small numbers of swine flu verifications, much better medical care and life expectancy in general, and the fact that we don't have all the information in yet and it is very possible that there have been no deaths so far from swine flu.
36,000 people die each year from the effects of flu in this country. I expect that as it spreads, assuming it will spread, that we will begin to see that zero figure rise.
Regarding the toddler that died in Texas I've read more than one he had “undisclosed health issues” meaning he was possibly in a group at high risk for complications. I wish we knew more specifics.
Polimom you're right that many people in the US don't rush right down to the doctor at the first sniffle, but I'd bet the percentage that do is higher in the US than Mexico. One other difference is it's pretty easy to do viral cultures in the US and probably not as easy in Mexico. The upshot is probably at lot of people in Mexico who have swine flu either don't go to see the doctor or if they do don't get tested.
Actually if you read the CDC guidelines they say if you're just mildly ill and not in an area with reported cases then just stay home anyway, there's not necessarily a need to see the doctor.