Better Parenting Skills May Break the Poverty-Disease Connection

Scientific American ^ | 2-16-2016 | Michael Marmot

[Citizen Zed]

By global standards, the poor of the U.S. are fantastically rich, yet they die sooner than the poor of other lands. Again, look at the poorest part of Baltimore. In 2010 the median household income here was $17,000, whereas the median in India was $5,150 after adjusting for purchasing power. Yet men in this part of Baltimore have a shorter life expectancy--63 years--than the Indian average of just more than 65 years. These Americans have more than triple the median purchasing power of Indians and yet have nearly two years less to live.

The U.S. problem is not limited to the poor. The average 15-year-old American boy has a 13 percent chance of dying before the age of 60. That risk of death--calculated in 2012--is double the probability for such boys in Sweden, about the same as in Turkey and Tunisia, Jordan and the Dominican Republic, and much higher than in Costa Rica, Chile and Cuba. In fact, the U.S. survival figure is lower than that in 51 other countries--although the U.S. spends more on health care than any other land.

[Citizen Zed]

And the winningest combo is the Sharia Dictatorship?

[Steely Tom]

the poor of the U.S. are fantastically rich, yet they die sooner than the poor of other lands

This is obviously the fault of white suburbanites.

[stars & stripes forever]

Public schools used to teach basic living: economics, cooking, parenting skills. Most were nixed to make room for PC agendas.

[gr8eman]

Better Parenting Skills May Break the Poverty-Disease Connection

Paging Capt. Obvious

[Uncle Miltie]

A Dad and a Job.

Cures everything.

[PGR88]

Let me guess - we need to start a government-funded program run from DC to teach “better parenting skills.”

[SunkenCiv]

The average 15-year-old American boy has a 13 percent chance of dying before the age of 60.

IOW, we need more free condom programs in the 'hood.

[simpson96]

A-MEN!

[stylin19a]

seems to me it’s geography. if you can, move out of that Baltimore neighbohood.

[fwdude]

There have been presstitute article written ad nauseam about my county (Tarrant) having high infant death rates, failing to mention the world view which precipitates this occurrence - the leftist sexual licentiousness that is rife in largely the black community.

Of course, that factor is never mentioned.

[paterfamilias]

“A Dad and a Job.

Cures everything.”

Yes, Miltie, an intact family and a work ethic will cure all.

[traderrob6]

“Better Parenting Skills May Break the Poverty-Disease Connection”

Jeez, ya think?

[I want the USA back]

It’s aint about skills, stupid author!
It’s about values, ethics, morals, work habits, and self-inflicted pathologies.

[needmorePaine]

So we return to programs, such as parent training, to enhance child development and education. The fact that childhood may affect adult health inequalities has compelling implications. Politically, it means society should shift more resources to early interventions. Morally, it becomes harder to blame the adult poor for their poverty or poor health.

There it is. It's not about personal responsibility. The issue is that the poor feel disempowered; therefore, they are going to eat, drink, and smoke themselves into early graves. And of course we need resources.

Scientifically, we need more research on the long-term negative effects of childhood experiences because some consequences appear to be reversible. New discoveries may suggest more effective approaches. The science already done gives good cause for optimism.

Do we really need new discoveries in this? Basic morality will cure a lot of ills. I guess that's privilege speaking.

[BillyBonebrake]

He got around to the taxing the rich part but neglected to mention the 73% illegitimacy rate for blacks. Some researcher ..

[GOPJ]

This is obviously the fault of white suburbanites.

You're right Tom - it has nothing to do with illegal drugs, joining violent gangs or being a common criminal.

Nope, it's all those white people living in the suburbs...just being white.