US and UK rank at bottom of UNICEF child well-being report card
(click on image for larger version)
From a recent UNICEF study: An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries
The United Kingdom and the United States find themselves in the bottom third of the rankings for five of the six dimensions reviewed.
Among the most appaling statistics is how low the US ranks in infant mortality. This while spending significantly more of its Gross Domestic Product on health care:
Health spending as percent of GDP, 2004:United States: 15.2%
Switzerland: 11.5%
Cambodia: 10.9%
Canada: 9.9%
Japan: 7.9%
Mexico: 6.2%
Africa: 6.1%
China: 5.6%
Russia: 5.6%
India: 4.8%
Pakistan: 2.4%
Congo: 2.0%