Considerable Disparities in Life Expectancy Exist Within U.S. Population
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2024 -- There are considerable differences in life expectancy between different groups within the U.S. population, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in The Lancet.
Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, Ph.D., from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues partitioned the U.S. population into 10 groups (eight from a previous study plus two additional groups comprising the U.S. Latino population) and examined trends in life expectancy from 2000 to 2021 for these groups.
Throughout the study period, the researchers observed large disparities in life expectancy between the "10 Americas," which grew more substantial over time, especially during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The gap between Americas with the lowest and highest life expectancies was 12.6 years in 2000 and increased to 13.9 years in 2010, 15.8 years in 2019, 18.9 years in 2020, and 20.4 years in 2021. The trends in life expectancy over time varied by group, leading to changes in the ordering of the groups during the time period. The only group to experience substantial declines in life expectancy from 2000 to 2019 was America 10 (American Indian and Alaska Native individuals in the West), which experienced the largest declines from 2019 to 2021. Americas 6, 7, and 9 (the three Black Americas) had relatively large increases in life expectancy before 2020, and all three had higher life expectancy than America 10 by 2006.
"In a country with the wealth and resources of the USA, it is intolerable that so many are living in conditions and with health outcomes akin to those of an entirely different country," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Urinary Metal Levels Tied to Increased Risk for Later Heart Failure
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- There are consistent associations between elevated urinary metal levels and increased heart failure risk over time across geographically diverse cohorts...
Higher Temperatures Tied to Increased Probability of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Higher temperatures across the globe are associated with an increased probability of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published...
Tons of Turkey Bacon Products Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 — Kraft Heinz Foods is recalling some 370,000 pounds of fully cooked turkey bacon products that may be contaminated with listeria, the U.S...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.