2023-11-02 18:25:53
Study Reveals High Mortality Rates in Retirement Age as Reason for Stagnating Life Expectancy in the United States
A recent study conducted by researchers from Tufts University, the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), and the University of Texas Medical Branch has identified the main reason for the stagnation of life expectancy in the United States since 2010. The study, which analyzed annual death rates from 2000 to 2019 using data from the Human Mortality Database, discovered that high mortality rates among the 65+ age group are primarily responsible for the lack of progress in life expectancy.
Previous research has shown that the United States has been lagging behind other countries in terms of improving life expectancy. However, this study delves deeper into the specific age groups contributing to this disparity. While previous findings have mainly focused on the high mortality rates among working-age adults due to causes such as drug overdoses, addiction, suicide, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, this study highlights the critical role played by the older population in driving the stagnation of life expectancy.
According to Mikko Myrskylä, Director of the MPIDR, the study suggests that the US faces a “double risk” due to both midlife mortality trends and older age mortality trends. However, the study found that the mortality trend among those aged 65 and over has a more significant impact on life expectancy stagnation and the overall excess mortality and years of life lost in 2019.
The figure presented in the study demonstrates the real and counterfactual life expectancy at the age of 25 from 2000 to 2019, further highlighting the plateau in life expectancy in the United States since 2010.
Currently, research and policy efforts in the US mainly focus on addressing the opioid epidemic and associated deaths. However, this study emphasizes the need to understand and combat the causes of increased mortality among older adults, particularly from health-related factors such as cardiovascular diseases. Leah Abrams, the lead author of the study, emphasizes that about two-thirds of deaths caused by these factors occur after the age of 75. Risk factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, obesity, and diabetes also play a significant role in shortening life expectancy among older individuals. Additionally, lack of access to quality healthcare further exacerbates the issue.
In order for life expectancy to begin increasing as rapidly as it did in the past, the study suggests a better understanding and targeted efforts to combat the causes of increased mortality among the 65+ age group. Neil Mehta, co-author of the study, notes that future research should compare the causes of death and contributing factors that influence mortality trends in both working-age and older age groups.
The data used for this study are publicly available and come from the Human Mortality Database, highlighting the importance of open data for further research and analysis in this field.]
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