Life Expectancy in US Climbed After Declines Related to COVID-19 – JAMA Network

US life expectancy has risen by 1.1 years, from 76.4 years in 2021 to 77.5 years in 2022, according to provisional data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics. Yet the increase does not cancel out the 2.4-year decrease in life expectancy that occurred between 2019 and 2021, due in large part to excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Decreases in COVID-19 deaths contributed most to the increase in average life expectancy, followed by reduced deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide.

In addition, life expectancies increased for many racial and ethnic groups, although underlying disparities between groups remained. For instance, American Indian and Alaska Native populations gained 2.3 years in life expectancy from 2021 to 2022. However, the difference in average life expectancy between White people and American Indian and Alaska Native individuals was about 10 years, with White people living an average of 77.5 years and American Indian and Alaska Native individuals living an average of 67.9 years.

Published Online: December 13, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.24683

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Life Expectancy in US Climbed After Declines Related to COVID-19 - JAMA Network

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