Life expectancy in the US fell by almost 3 years from 2019 to 2021, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.
- In 2021, life expectancy at birth declined to 76.1 years, the lowest level since 1996 and a 2.7-year drop from 2019.
Why? Covid and deaths of despair seem to be the two biggest reasons for the decline in life expectancy. COVID-19 is responsible for almost half (49.5%) of the decline followed by unintentional injuries (15.9%), heart disease (4.1%), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (3.0%), and suicide (2.1%).
Gender gap. The difference in life expectancy between the sexes was 5.9 years in 2021 increasing from 5.7 in 2020. This was a reversal of the trend between 2000 and 2010 when the difference in life expectancy between the sexes narrowed from 5.2 years to its lowest level of 4.8 years.
- Male life expectancy is now 73.2 and female life expectancy is now 79.1, the lowest levels since 1996.
Race gap. The gap between Asians and American Indians has grown to over 18 years in 2021. Asian life expectancy is still the highest despite falling 2.1 years from 2019 to 83.5 years in 2021. American Indian life expectancy is still the shortest after plummeting more than 6 years between ’19-’21 to 65.2 years.
- Hispanics have the second longest life expectancy despite falling 4.1 years these last three years to 77.7 years.
- Whites saw their life expectancy fall 2.4 years to 76.4 in 2021.
- Black life expectancy fell 4 years on the number to 70.8 years.
NOTE: The three-year drop was the biggest since the early 1920s.