Life expectancy in the United States varies by more than 20 years depending on your race and ethnicity and where you live, according to new research. The authors call the level of health disparities "truly alarming."
In the study, published Thursday in The Lancet, researchers analyzed death records from the National Vital Statistics System and population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics from 2000 to 2021.
Large disparities in life expectancy were apparent throughout the study period but grew more substantial over time, particularly during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors noted.
"The extent and magnitude of health disparities in American society are truly alarming in a country with the wealth and resources of the USA," senior author Christopher J.L. Murray said in a news release. "These disparities reflect the unequal and unjust distribution of resources and opportunities that have profound consequences on well-being and longevity, especially in marginalized populations."
In 2000, life expectancy ranged from an average of 70.5 years for Americans at the lowest end to 83.1 years for those in the highest group — a difference of 12.6 years. The gap widened to 13.9 years in 2010, jumped to 18.9 years in 2020, and now in the latest data, 20.4 years in 2021.
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