Declining Life Expectancy in the U.S.

Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years that each person in a defined population is expected to live. The statistical estimate can be performed at any age, mostly at birth. In the U.S., the National Center for Health Statistics estimated life expectancy at birth was 76.1 years in 2021. The estimate followed a 0.9-year drop from the life expectancy estimate of 2020, which was reported at 77.0 years. In 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that the life expectancy estimate had dropped by 1.8 years from the previous year, showing a trend that has been impacting the U.S. population (National Center for Health Statistics). Besides the general drop in life expectancy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports that disparities exist regarding the drop in life expectancy. Non-Hispanic American Indian-Alaskan Native people (AIAN) and non-Hispanic white people were more affected than other ethnicities, reporting a drop of 1.9 and 1.0 years in average life expectancy in 2021, respectively. Gender disparities are also evident, with men reporting a bigger drop in average life expectancy (1.0 years) than women (0.8 years) (National Center for Health Statistics). In my opinion, the drop in life expectancy and the emerging disparities have been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in the prevalence of chronic ailments, environmental factors, deterioration in mental health statuses, and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among U.S. residents.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The high number of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the decline in life expectancy in the U.S. between 2019 and 2021. Before the pandemic, the U.S. had recorded an increase in average life expectancy up until 2014, when it began to drop (Health System Tracker). However, the drop occurred gradually from 78.9 years in 2014 to 78.8 years in 2019, a negative deviation of 0.1 years. During the pandemic, the drop in average life expectancy was significant, from 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.4 years in 2021 (Health System Tracker). The sharp drop in life expectancy between 2019 and 2021 shows that the pandemic adversely impacted Americans’ average life expectancy.

HIGH PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC AILMENTS AND DECLINE IN MENTAL HEALTH

Besides the pandemic, an increase in the prevalence of chronic ailments and deterioration in mental health status among the public has contributed to a decrease in life expectancy in the U.S. The National Center for Health Statistics report shows that fatalities from heart diseases contributed to 4.1% of the decline in life expectancy, while liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases contributed to 3.0% of the decline (National Center for Health Statistics). Regarding mental health, the report shows that suicide contributed to 2.1% of the decline, thus a correlation between poor mental health and a decline in life expectancy (National Center for Health Statistics). These data indicate that multiple factors, including a decline in mental health status and increased prevalence of chronic ailments, contribute to the decrease in life expectancy in the U.S.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Lastly, environmental factors such as pollution and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors have contributed to the decline in life expectancy in the U.S. Factors such as air and water pollution have resulted in the emergence of water-borne and respiratory diseases, which cause deaths among residents. Besides such factors, residents have adopted unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking and substance abuse, which contribute to increased death rates resulting from related health complications.

To conclude, life expectancy in the U.S. has been declining due to the high number of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides the pandemic, a combination of other factors, such as unhealthy lifestyles and environmental pollution, has resulted in a high prevalence of chronic ailments, contributing to the decline in expectancy. Lastly, mental health status in the U.S. has been declining, resulting in increased suicide rates and reduced life expectancy.

Works Cited

Health System Tracker. “How Does U.S. Life Expectancy Compare to Other Countries?” Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, 12 October 2023, www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/u-s-life-expectancy-compare-countries/. Accessed 9 February 2024.

National Center for Health Statistics. “Life Expectancy in the U.S. Dropped for the Second Year in a Row in 2021.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 31 August 2022, www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/. Accessed 9 February 2024.