Life expectancy drops in U.S. for second year
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The pandemic saw the U.S experience its largest drop in average life expectancy since nearly 100 years ago, according to CDC data over a two-year period.
Driving the news: New provisional data released by the CDC this week shows that life expectancy at birth declined nearly a year from 2020 to 2021.
- Just last week, the CDC published data showing that life expectancy fell 1.8 years between 2019 and 2020.
- Together, the datasets show U.S. life expectancy at birth down 2.7 years over the two years — the largest two-year decline since 1921–1923.
The big picture: COVID-19 primarily fueled the drop, along with unintentional injuries, mainly drug overdoses.
By the numbers: The 2021 provisional data puts the average U.S. life expectancy at birth at 76.1 years, its lowest level since 1996.
Zoom in: In Pennsylvania, the average life expectancy was 76.8 in 2020, a dip of 1.5 years from 2019, according to finalized CDC data released earlier this month.
- Pennsylvania ranked 30th among states for life expectancy in 2020.
- Of note: The 2021 provisional data doesn't break down the data by state.
More than 46,700 people in the Keystone State have died from COVID-related complications, of which 5,259 were in Philadelphia, according to the state's online database.
- Plus: Drug overdose deaths were up an estimated 3% statewide in 2021 compared to the previous year, fueled by the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
In Philadelphia, life expectancy varies wildly by neighborhood due to a variety of economic and social issues, such as substance abuse and gun violence. Some areas of the city have a life expectancy separated by 20 years, according to a 2019 city report.
- Philadelphia is ranked the least healthy county in the state, according to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
- The city has yet to release its data around overdose deaths last year.