Life Expectancy Drops Drastically In The U.S. During COVID-19 Pandemic

Life expectancy in the U.S. been dropped from 78.8 years in 2019 to 77.3 years in 2020 (by 1.5 years) – the biggest drop since WWII (World War II) as per the report by (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

This largest decline in life expectancies was first experienced by Hispanic Americans followed by Black Americans. Nearly 75% of the decline has been accounted by COVID deaths. Hence this decline in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020 can be attributed to pandemic.

Coronavirus
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‘Life expectancy in the U.S. been dropped from 78.8 years in 2019 to 77.3 years in 2020 (by 1.5 years) – the biggest drop since WWII (World War II). Experts believe the substantial risks of COVID-19 may be responsible for this increase in the death rate.’

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Contrastingly, Hispanic Americans generally have a longer life expectancy than non-Hispanic Black or white people. This declined from 81.8 years in 2019 to 78.8 years in 2020, resulting in 90% of the decline in life expectancy due to COVID-19.

The Death Rate and Pandemic

The U.S. deaths from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are expected to surpass 609,000, including about 375,000 last year as per CDC. Based on gender, the decline from 2019 to 2020 in males was by 1.8 years and in women by 1.2 years.

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The narrowing of the life expectancy gap between white and Hispanic populations “is a stark indicator of worsening health and mortality outcomes for a population that paradoxically has been, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, able to defy expectations consistent with its disadvantaged socioeconomic profile,” says the report.

One of the reasons experts speculate is that increased exposure of Hispanic and Black Americans to the virus as they were overrepresented in the essential works during pandemic lockdowns.

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Other Risk Factors

Around 11% of the decline is reported to be due to a rise in deaths from accidents or unintentional injuries. The death from drug overdose has also shown a spike by 30% during the pandemic (one-third of unintentional injuries) last year. The other factors that might have contributed to the decline in life expectancy in 2020 include homicides (3% of the decline), diabetes (2.5%), and chronic liver disease (2.3%).

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“To protect all patients, communities and personnel from the known and substantial risks of COVID-19, the American Hospital Association strongly urges the vaccination of all health care personnel,” says a policy statement.

Source-Medindia