Dive Brief:
- A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found life expectancy for white, non-Hispanic U.S. women went down by about one month from 2013 to 2014, from 81.2 to 81.1 years.
- During that time, life expectancy went up among black and Hispanic Americans — most notably non-Hispanic black men who saw an increase of six months, from 71.8 to 72.2 years.
- The data show Americans overall have lost their former momentum on increasing longevity, with average life expectancy remaining stagnant since 2010.
Dive Insight:
Though the difference for white women is small, such a dip for a major demographic group is rare and troubling, experts say, particularly because of the reasons why: Suicide, drug overdoses, and complications from alcohol and smoking. The research found these problems to be increasingly impacting all white Americans, but particularly impacting white women in mid-life.
The report agrees with a another recent study by Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton, NPR noted, which also found middle-age mortality increasing among white people due to suicides, drug overdoses, and alcoholism.
At the same time, however, gains were made in overall life expectancy for Hispanics from 81.6 to 81.8 years, and overall among blacks from 75.1 to 75.2 years. The particularly notable increase among black men, from 71.8 to 72.2 years, appears linked to declines in cancer deaths, homicides, and heart disease, says CDC demographer Elizabeth Arias.
Arias said another study due out soon is looking into the sharp upticks in deaths from suicides, alcohol, and overdoses.
Recommended Reading
NPR: Life Expectancy Drops For White Women, Increases For Black Men
The Washington Post: Life expectancy for white females in U.S. suffers rare decline
CDC: Changes in Life Expectancy by Race and Hispanic Origin in the United States, 2013–2014
CDC: Life expectancy down for white women, up for black men
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