How healthy you are is dependent on where you live. Americans suffer more cancers, heart diseases, mental illness and other chronic diseases than those who live in other wealthy nations. Despite having the most expensive healthcare system in the world. Why? Embark on a journey to unravel the profound impact of public policies on American health from birth in 'Born Sick in the USA.' Delve into the intricate web where economic inequality weaves a tapestry of chronic ailments and fatal diseases in a stressed society. This compelling read illuminates the need for transformative change in social safety nets and public policies to uplift national health and well-being. Through vivid storytelling, the book unveils the symptoms, diagnosis, and 'medicine' required to steer the nation towards a healthier future. Join the movement for a healthier America by embracing the insightful revelations and empowering call-to-action presented within the pages of this eye-opening book.

‘A hopeful, pragmatic, data-informed guide to building a healthier future.’

Sandro Galea - author of Within Reason: A Liberal Public Health for an Illiberal Time

‘By examining the United States as his patient, Stephen Bezruchka has found a brilliant way to diagnose the serious, multigenerational health problems afflicting the country. From shortening lifespans to the emergence of chronic diseases in young people, his diagnoses are laid out in plain and powerful English. Dr. Bezruchka combines his decades of experience as a physician wandering the villages of Nepal and his teaching at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health to gently but firmly deliver the truth about how the world’s most expensive healthcare system makes us sick. His treatment plan would be easy and less costly, if only we can free ourselves from the delusion that the US enjoys the world’s best healthcare system.’

David Cay Johnston - bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter

‘An important and illuminating book, filled with disturbing facts and forensic analysis. A dangerous disease of inequality is afflicting the USA. Dr. Stephen Bezruchka offers us diagnosis, treatment, and, best of all, a preventive strategy for America’s long-term health.’

Kate Pickett - OBE, author of The Good Society: And How We Get There

‘‘Political medicine,’ as Bezruchka calls it, is about building power to protect public health. The book itself is a great antidote to the particular sociopolitical and historical moment we face in the United States. Bezruchka draws on political and historical events, cross-national comparisons, and relatable everyday experiences – like having a baby or a bout of anxiety – to show us how health is not produced by access to health care or even good behavior, but rather by the social, political, and economic context in which we live. In moments of public health crisis, which we are most certainly in, it helps to go back to the history books and the ‘old heads’ who have seen it all. Bezruchka’s book traces that critical knowledge to ground readers in an understanding of the complex forces that really shape our nation’s health – from substance use, to maternal mortality, and overall life expectancy. He walks us through practical steps for collective action, power building, and making a difference with strategies that are contemporary and practical. You leave the book feeling both grounded and empowered to meet the moment.’

Megha Ramaswamy - Professor and Chair, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington

‘America presents an egregious paradox – it has both the most expensive healthcare and the shortest life expectancy in the West. Bezruchka demonstrates how even the Shangri-la of universal healthcare and decreased inequality won’t erase this discrepancy. Instead, he brilliantly teaches how it is baked into American individualism, capitalism, and its myths of mobility. But just as importantly, he outlines an activist pathway towards countering this toxic brew and making us healthier.’

Robert Sapolsky - author of Determined: Life Without Free Will

‘In this moment of turmoil and upheaval, the United States needs resounding clarity about what makes its population vulnerable to ill health, and what could reverse its course. Stephen Bezruchka once again provides a methodical and compelling account of how much politics, institutions, and policies, and the environments they foster, are central to our longevity and our quality of life.’

Arjumand Siddiqi - Professor of Epidemiology and Canada Research Chair in Population Health Equity, University of Toronto

‘Why are Americans sicker and die younger than people in other wealthy nations despite spending so much more on health care? Drawing on decades of medical practice and cutting-edge research, Bezruchka’s clear and incisive analysis reveals how extreme inequality and inadequate early childhood support have become lethal health threats. This book offers a prescription for real change which must not be ignored.’

Richard G. Wilkinson - author of The Impact of Inequality: How to Make Sick Societies Healthier

‘Capitalism, its greatest critic showed, is full of contradictions. On one side, widely boasted, are its tendencies to improve public health as a by-product of capital accumulation. On the other side, widely denied or repressed, are its tendencies to undermine public health. This book, Born Sick in the USA, corrects the imbalance by systematically exploring the latter tendencies. Here is socially applied medical science that culminates in a persuasive call for action by its readers.’

Richard D. Wolff - co-founder of Democracy at Work and author of The Sickness Is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself