Life expectancy returns to normal, except for one age group, study finds
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Life expectancy has returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to global health research, but mortality rates for adolescents and young adults are increasingly worrying.
The latest version of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) Study includes new and updated estimates of all-cause mortality and life expectancy from 1950 to 2023.
Combining data from more than 24,000 sources, including surveys and censuses, the report includes mortality estimates during crises such as COVID-19.
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The number of deaths between 1950 and 2023 increased by 35% due to population growth and aging, but the age-standardized mortality rate fell by 66.6%, indicating that people are living much longer overall.
Global life expectancy increased dramatically between 1950 and 2019. For women, it increased from 51.2 years to 76.3 years, while life expectancy for men increased from 47.9 years to 71.4 years in the same period.
The age-standardized death rate fell by 66.6%, indicating that people are living longer. (iStock)
The coronavirus pandemic caused a temporary drop in global life expectancy, as women fell to 74.7 years and men to 69.3 years.
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Between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy returned to pre-pandemic levels: women reached 76.3 years and men 71.5 years.
The study found that 95% of countries showed some recovery, while 62% fully recovered or improved beyond 2019 levels.
Women have once again had a life expectancy of 76.3 years and men 71.5 years, according to the latest report. (iStock)
While global life expectancy has increased, mortality rates for youth and young adults increased between 2011 and 2023, according to the report.
In North America, death rates among people ages 5 to 14 increased by 11.5%. They increased by 31.7% for those aged 25 to 29, and increased by almost 50% for the group aged 30 to 39.
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In Eastern Europe, the largest increase in mortality occurred among those aged 15 to 19 with a 53.9% increase, and those aged 20 to 24 experienced a 40.1% increase.
The researchers pointed to possible reasons why mortality is increasing among younger people, including substance use and behavioral health problems in North America and Latin America.
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These are “deaths of despair,” such as drug overdoses, alcohol-related complications, and suicides driven by economic, social, and psychological factors.
Mortality rates have increased among youth and young adults, which could be due to economic, social and psychological factors. (iStock)
The researchers emphasized that policy priorities for mortality reduction worldwide “must change if this reality is to be better addressed.”
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“Policymakers in these settings should prioritize policies that improve access to care and address social determinants of health for these particular age groups,” the authors commented.
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“The findings from this study will help inform policy development, implementation and evaluation to ensure that health systems, economies and societies are prepared to address the world’s greatest health needs,” they added.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for News Digital.