Washington:
Average US life expectancy fell by 1.5 years in 2020, a sharp decline driven by the Covid-19 pandemic affecting males and communities of colour the most, new information showed Wednesday.
Life expectancy at birth for the total US population was 77.3 years, down from 78.8 in 2019, and the lowest it has been due to the fact 2003, stated a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The substantial fall also bucks a trend of steady improve in the post-World War II period, albeit with little decreases in some years.
Among males, the figure was 74.5 years, a reduce of 1.8 years, and amongst females it was 80.2 years, a decline of 1.2 years.
“Mortality due to Covid-19 had, by far, the single greatest effect on the decline in life expectancy at birth between 2019 and 2020,” the report stated.
Deaths from unintentional injuries, homicides (more typical amongst males), diabetes and liver illness also rose.
The declines have been partly offset by decreases in mortality due to cancer, chronic decrease respiratory ailments and suicide.
Influenza, pneumonia and Alzheimer’s-connected deaths have been also down for males, though for females, mortality from heart illness and stroke decreased.
Among racial groups, life expectancy decreased by 3. years for the Hispanic population from 81.8 to 78.8, and by 2.9 years for the Black population, from 74.7 to 71.8 years.
The decline was least pronounced in the white population, exactly where life expectancy fell from 78.8 to 77.6 years.
The reduce in life expectancy was greatest for Hispanic males, falling by 3.7 years from 79. to 75.3, followed by Black males with a decline of 3.3 years, from 71.3 to 68..
Among Black females, the decline was 2.4 years, from 78.1 to 75.7 years.
“Among the causes contributing negatively to the change in life expectancy, Covid-19 contributed 90 percent for the Hispanic population, 67.9 percent for the non-Hispanic white population and 59.3 percent for the non-Hispanic black population,” the report stated.
The new report comes a handful of days following provisional information showed US deaths from drug overdoses surged to a record 93,000 in 2020, driven largely by increasing opioid use in the course of the pandemic.
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