U.S. life expectancy rose final yr to its highest stage because the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas loss of life charges fell for nearly all the highest causes, in line with Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) knowledge.
Life expectancy at delivery was 78.4 years for the whole U.S. inhabitants in 2023, in line with the report launched Thursday, a rise of practically a full yr from 77.5 years in 2022.
The report confirmed ladies proceed to dwell longer than males. For males, life expectancy elevated a full yr to almost 76 in 2023. For ladies, life expectancy was somewhat greater than 81 years in 2023.
However whereas it’s rebounded, life expectancy hasn’t but reached pre-pandemic ranges after it fell off sharply from 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.4 in 2021.
Dying charges are additionally falling. In 2023, about 3.1 million deaths had been registered in the US, about 189,000 fewer deaths than in 2022.
The highest 5 causes of loss of life final yr had been coronary heart illness, most cancers, unintentional accidents, stroke and power decrease respiratory illnesses. Dying charges fell for 9 of the highest 10 causes in 2023, whereas the speed of most cancers deaths was largely unchanged.
The variety of deaths attributed to COVID-19 dropped considerably final yr. The virus went from being the fourth main trigger in 2022 to the tenth main trigger in 2023. It was the underlying reason for greater than 186,000 deaths in 2022, falling to simply lower than 50,000 final yr.
The report additionally analyzed loss of life charges by race, gender and ethnicity, discovering variations throughout completely different teams.
Essentially the most vital loss of life charge decreases had been amongst Hispanic women and men — 10.5 p.c for males and eight p.c for Hispanic ladies — in addition to American Indian and Alaska Natives, who noticed an 11.5 p.c lower for males and 13.5 p.c for girls.
The report knowledge mirror data collected by the CDC’s Nationwide Heart for Well being Statistics from loss of life certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
