Life expectancy in China surpasses the US – Healthcare Economist

Again in 1960, life expectancy within the US was 69.7 years as in comparison with 43.7 years. On the flip of the century, this hole had closed to 76.8 to 71.4 years. As of 2021, nonetheless, US life expectancy was 76.1 whereas life expectancy in China was 77.1, a full yr forward of the U.S.

A part of the explanation for China pulling forward was an even bigger lower in life expectancy within the US throughout COVID-19 (falling from 78.8 in 2019 to 77.1 in 2021) whereas life expectancy really elevated in China (76.9 to 77.1). However COVID doesn’t clarify the entire story.

“Unintentional accidents”—which embody opioid overdoses and motorcar crashes—had been the second-largest contributor to the drop in life expectancy, making up 15.9% of the decline [between 2019 and 2021 in the US].

The progress that China has made in well being is really exceptional. On the similar time, the U.S. wants to higher handle “deaths of despair” and bend the curve again into the optimistic course.