Americans’ life expectancy lowest in decades, 56 countries outperform US

Jun 02, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer)

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U.S. life expectancy is not going in the right direction. According to the CDC, life expectancy in the U.S. dropped to 76.1 years. That’s the lowest it has been in 27 years.

During the pandemic, the U.S. saw its largest drop in life expectancy since World War II.

But a new report by the American Journal of Public Health found the country has been at a life expectancy disadvantage since the 1950s, and it’s only gotten worse since then.

As the 20th century ushered in public health advances like vaccines and sanitation, the U.S. began seeing dramatic increases in life expectancy and it continued into the 50s.

Back then, the U.S. ranked 12th highest in the world. But by 1968, the U.S. had fallen to 29th place. By 2019, the U.S. ranked 40th among populous countries.

Now, drug overdoses and COVID have pushed the U.S. life expectancy to the lowest point since 1996.

As U.S. life expectancy continues to plummet, the report found that 56 countries with populations over 500,000 have surpassed the U.S. in life expectancy since 1950. Even Lebanon and Albania rank higher than the U.S. And when it comes to life expectancy in America, some states are worse than others.

According to the report, published June 1, life expectancy grew at a different pace across the country. Northeastern and Western states saw the fastest growth, while the slowest growth was concentrated in the Midwest and South.

The study also found that more Americans die younger in states with conservative policies. On the other hand, the life expectancy in high performing states, like New York and Hawaii, is comparable in rank to some of the healthiest countries in the world.

Tags: CDC, COVID-19, Health

KARAH RUCKER: U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY IS NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ACCORDING TO THE CDC, U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY DROPPED TO 76.1 YEARS. THAT’S THE LOWEST IT HAS BEEN IN 27 YEARS.

DURING THE PANDEMIC THE U-S SAW ITS LARGEST DROP IN LIFE EXPECTANCY SINCE WORLD WAR II.

BUT A NEW REPORT BY THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOUND THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN AT A LIFE EXPECTANCY DISADVANTAGE SINCE THE 1950’S, AND IT’S ONLY GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THEN.

AS THE 20TH CENTURY USHERED IN PUBLIC HEALTH ADVANCES LIKE VACCINES AND SANITATION, THE U-S BEGAN SEEING DRAMATIC INCREASES IN LIFE EXPECTANCY AND IT CONTINUED INTO THE 50s.

BACK THEN, THE U-S RANKED 12TH HIGHEST IN THE WORLD. BUT BY 1968, THE U-S HAD FALLEN TO 29TH PLACE. BY 2019, THE U-S RANKED 40TH AMONG POPULOUS COUNTRIES.

NOW, DRUG OVERDOSES AND COVID HAVE PUSHED THE U-S LIFE EXPECTANCY TO THE LOWEST POINT SINCE 1996.

AS U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY CONTINUES TO PLUMMET, THE REPORT FOUND THAT 56 COUNTRIES – WITH POPULATIONS OVER 500,000 – HAVE SURPASSED THE U-S IN LIFE EXPECTANCY SINCE 1950. EVEN LEBANON AND ALBANIA RANK HIGHER THAN THE U-S.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE EXPECTANCY IN AMERICA – SOME STATES ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, PUBLISHED JUNE 1, LIFE EXPECTANCY GREW AT A DIFFERENT PACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NORTHEASTERN AND WESTERN STATES SAW THE FASTEST GROWTH. WHILE THE SLOWEST GROWTH WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE MIDWEST AND SOUTH.

THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT MORE AMERICANS DIE YOUNGER IN STATES WITH CONSERVATIVE POLICIES. ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HIGH PERFORMING STATES – LIKE NEW YORK AND HAWAII – IS COMPARABLE IN RANK TO SOME OF THE HEALTHIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.