The Decrease in Life Expectancy of Young Americans Is a Persistent Trend

Young people are falling victim to opioid misuse and suicide at alarming rates

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have published a report showing that the death rates of younger and middle-aged Americans have increased since 1990. In spite of continuing medical advances, life expectancy for this group was seen to plateau and then decline over a 27-year period.

Such a dramatic downward trend hasn’t occurred since the 1918 flu pandemic, even though the study took place before the onset of COVID-19. The report showed that this sharp decrease in life expectancy was due in part to an increase in death by substance abuse, suicide, and cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

These increases are not necessarily distributed equally throughout the population, however. Socioeconomic and demographic factors can play a role in how these threats affect an individual. For instance, conditions related to obesity and diabetes tend to be more prevalent among those living in poverty. The report also showed that substance abuse deaths spiked most significantly in the Midwest, New England, and Appalachia, while suicides increased predominantly among white men.

Because of this, the report recommended addressing underlying problems such as access to mental health resources and the availability of potentially harmful drugs. Improved access to medical care could also be a factor in reversing this decrease in life expectancy. The report noted the importance of prioritizing those most affected by these health threats, such as women, racial and ethnic minority groups, and those living in poverty.

The disproportionate health setbacks faced by lower-income Americans are among the reasons that life expectancy in the U.S. is lower than in other similarly wealthy countries. While Americans’ life expectancy has doubled since 1880, that upward trend has stalled, even as the rest of the world continues to improve.

Improving access to medical care may help to combat this decrease in life expectancy. The National Academies’ report recommended expanding Medicaid coverage, as this has been shown to have a positive impact on health outcomes. However, some experts also stress the importance of improving preventative health measures in the U.S., as many of the increasing causes of death can be avoided with access to the right resources.