Table 1.

Timing of US divergence from the average of 16 comparator high-income countries, for life expectancy, 15q0, and 35q15, males and females, 1958–2007

Indicator	Males	Females
Life expectancy	Late 1970s (temporary reconvergence late ‘1980s to late 1990s’)	Late 1970s
15q0	Late 1970s (USA had lower mortality than the comparators before 1965)	Late 1970s (USA had lower mortality than the comparators before 1965)
35q15	About 1990 (USA already substantially behind comparators before divergence)	Late 1970s (more rapid divergence after about 1990)

15q0 is defined as the probability of dying from birth through age 14 at the then prevailing age-specific mortality rates; 35q15 is defined as the probability of dying from age 15 through age 49 at the then prevailing age-specific mortality rates.