THE BUZZ!
American women are living nearly 6 years longer than men, new study finds. But why?
First up
A new report has found that the life expectancy gap between women and men in the United States has widened to its largest in decades.
According to a study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, American women should anticipate living approximately six years longer than men. The study cited differences caused by COVID-19 and drug overdose deaths among the factors contributing to the largest discrepancy since 1996.
The difference in life expectancy between men and women in the United States between 2010 and 2019 was mostly caused by conditions like diabetes, heart disease, unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. However, variations in COVID-19 death rates emerged as the primary cause of the gender disparity that grew throughout the pandemic.
Other Key Findings:
- The overall life expectancy dropped over a year and a half down to 76.1 years in 2021.
- The U.S. Census Bureau projects that women will continue to outlive men for the rest of the century, according to new population estimates.
Source: USA Today
