Good News About Democracy: It's Good For Your Health
Here's a bit of heartening news to consider this Fourth of July: Democracy is good for our health.
A study published in The Lancet in April analyzed how the "democratic experience" of a country impacts the health of its citizens. The results were a clear win for democracy.
Democratic countries with free and fair elections generally had higher overall life expectancies among residents who were HIV-free than did autocracies. Democratic experience also eased the burden of chronic, noncommunicable diseases like heart disease or stroke, according to the study.
"This is a fascinating paper in that it tries to understand what affects health outcomes besides the income of a country," says Margaret Kruk, a professor of public health at Harvard who was not involved in the study.
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days