Public Health Data

Google makes it really easy to visualize large amounts of data. In the chart below, I've modified an example from the Public Data Explorer website: the chart compares Life Expectancy at Birth with Fertility Rates and the bubbles represent GDP of that country. I've only shown BRIC countries, the US, Canada, Cuba, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Click "Play" above. 

Notice how Somalia's life expectancy falls dramatically in the 1990s due to the ravages of war. Also, it appears there's an inverse correlation of fertility with GDP. Not entirely surprising. What is surprising is how much the other countries are catching up (to the US) in terms of life expectancy. When you layer the fact that the US spends a lot more on Healthcare than most other countries, it's easy to think we're not getting better outcomes for more investment. 

Perhaps, that's another obvious conclusion?