Research on the US population and its health. Covers cancer-trial sponsorship, myopia control, statistical literacy, and substance-use trends.
A new study analyzes US hurricane damage data, normalizing for inflation, coastal population increase, and wealth. It finds that landfalling hurricanes in the 1940s-1960s would have produced over $10 billion in damages if they struck today, contradicting claims of climate change causing recent damage increases.
The study found a significant decline in chronic disability rates for people 65 and older, with the largest rate of decline occurring from 1989 to 1994. The researchers attribute this trend to medical advances and technological improvements.
Experts Allyson Pollock and Dorothy Rice argue that surveys are a poor tool for evaluating the impact of healthcare spending on population health. They propose adopting national health data standards to track individuals over time and improve healthcare effectiveness.
Increasing retirement age to 70 could save $50-60 billion per year on Social Security costs, while also reducing payouts. The move would also encourage older workers to stay in the workforce longer, contributing to revenues.