New Books Network Stephen Bezruchka, "Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation" (Cambridge UP, 2026)
Jan 29, 2026
Stephen Bezruchka, a public health physician who studies how social and political forces shape population health. He explores why the U.S. fares poorly in life expectancy despite high spending. Topics include inequality as a toxic force, early-life and intergenerational stress, geographic and racial disparities, cultural supports like the Latino advantage, and policy lessons from Japan.
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U.S. Health Lags Despite High Spending
- The U.S. ranks far below other wealthy nations in life expectancy despite spending the most on health care.
- Stephen Bezruchka argues national health is driven more by social and political factors than by medical care or personal behavior.
Nepal Experience Sparked Public Health Shift
- Bezruchka recounts working in Nepal and being asked why men in Bangladesh live longer than men in Harlem.
- That question spurred his return to public health study to understand population-level health differences.
Governance Outweighs Health Care
- Political context and socioeconomic status shape health more than health care or individual behaviors.
- Hawaii's public health report ranks governance and socioeconomic factors above health care in producing population health.
