In the United States, the differences in life expectancy between different population groups have increased to twenty years. While indigenous people in the western states of the US had an average life expectancy of 63.6 years at birth in 2021, this value was 84.0 years for those from Asia.
Part of this difference is due to the corona pandemic, write the authors of the study from the University of Washington in Seattle.
Life expectancy increased in almost all groups
For the study, the researchers collected data on life expectancy for the period 2000 to 2021. It shows that life expectancy increased slightly between 2000 and 2019 in all groups studied – with the exception of the indigenous population in the western states of the US.
The group consists of 1.3 million people. Her life expectancy fell from 72.3 years in 2000 to 70.2 years in 2019. She was also particularly hard hit by the consequences of the corona pandemic: in 2021 her life expectancy fell to 63.6 years. This represents a decrease of 6.6 years compared to 2019; for Asian Americans it was only a decline of 1.9 years.
Income does not play the only role
“These disparities reflect the unequal and inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities, which have profound consequences for well-being and life expectancy, especially among marginalized populations,” the study authors say. For another ethnic group, black Americans, things looked better for a while: until 2015, their life expectancy rose disproportionately compared to other groups, but has since stagnated. “The gap between life expectancy at birth for black and white Americans has perhaps never been narrower than it was in the mid-2010s,” said co-author Thomas Bollyky of the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington DC.
The study authors point out that while income is an important factor in life expectancy, other influences also play a role. The white majority, which makes up 57.3 percent of the total population, had the highest income in most years of the study period. Still, at 77.2 years, their life expectancy in 2021 was lower than that of Latinos outside the Southwest (79.4 years) and the Asian population (84.0 years). Regarding the poorer population, the study authors said, “The size and scope of health disparities in American society are truly alarming in a country with the wealth and resources of the United States.”
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
