Medical news often focuses on the bad, ignoring the positive innovations and research happening in the health field. Well, we have some good news from the world of health: US life expectancy increased for the first time in four years.
The most recent life expectancy calculation for the US, based on 2018 data, found drops in death from 6 of the top 10 causes of death including a drop in deaths from opioid overdoses that occurred for the first time in 28 years.
This comes after four years of stagnation or a drop in life expectancy. American life expectancy hit an all-time high of 78.9 years in 2014 but steadily dropped until 2017. This year, it has raised back up to 78.7 years.
The leading causes of death in the US are heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, flu, kidney disease, suicide, cancer, and accidents. Significant decreases in death rates from cancer and unintentional injuries contributed to the longevity spike.
While a 0.2-year difference may not seem like a lot, this is a big change when you take into account the whole US population. A rising life expectancy figure is good news for citizens and indicates a healthier society as a whole!
