5 Shocking Health Statistics to Make You Think

As humans, we are very vulnerable and exposed. We live a long life compared to other species and we also have more control over our lives than any other animal. But at the same time, we face constant danger and are forever in a fragile state, as these shocking health statistics show.

Total War Dead

More than 650,000 Americans died in the Civil War while “only”100,000 died during the First World War, a conflict that killed 17+ million worldwide.

Many more died in the Second World War, 400,000 of which were American. This means that the two biggest global conflicts in the history of humanity killed fewer Americans than the Civil War.

Americans were heavily involved in the Second World War, so this is not a statement that shows how little they fought, but rather a statement that shows how bloody the American Civil War was.

Heart Disease is the Biggest Killer

Heart disease kills more Americans than cancer and these two causes of death account for a greater share of the national deaths than the rest of the top 10 causes combined.

Diabetes and lung-disorders are also some of the biggest killers in the United States, as are accidents (mostly auto accidents). But one of the surprising and heartbreaking additions to this list is suicide, which seems to be on the rise.

Medical Error Deaths

It has been estimated that medical malpractice accounts for over 250,000 deaths in the USA every single year. That’s 250,000 lives lost because of an error, many of which are simply the result of incorrect doses, oversights, and carelessness.

There are more and more Americans seeking the services of a medical malpractice attorney every year, suggesting this issue is on the rise, but at least something is being done to compensate the families of the deceased.

Health care Mistakes are Rampant

If the medical malpractice issue wasn’t enough to scare you, consider this: 30 percent of all medical tests have to be retaken because the results are lost. Not only is this a glaring error that takes place in an organization where errors can be deadly, but it’s one that results in lost time, lost money, and, potentially, in life-saving diagnoses being delayed.

It has also been reported that 3 out of every 10 patient visits will result in healthcare professionals being unable to find patient charts and that 8 out of 10 fatal medical errors are the result of miscommunication as care switches hands.

It works both ways though because missed appointments cost the healthcare system over $150 billion a year and they lose billions in claims.

150,000 Die a Day

If there was ever a figure that could make you feel small and insignificant it was this one: over 150,000 people die every single day.

Most of these deaths occur as a result of old age, but a significant proportion are the result of disease, war, and accidents, and many occur in the young. According to this guide, over 30,000 of these deaths are children.

That means that every hour, 6,000 people die all over the world, over 1,000 of which are children.