According to a recent study, the life expectancy of American men has decreased by up to 6 years compared to women after COVID-19. Medical experts revealed in a new study that the gender gap in life expectancy between men and women in the United States has increased the most in the last 30 years since COVID-19.
The research findings, published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, indicate that the difference in life expectancy between men and women has increased the most since 1996, with COVID-19 and the prevalence of substance abuse identified as the most significant factors.
Prior to 2021, government statistics reported that the life expectancy for women was 79.3 years, while for men, it was 73.5 years. Researchers stated in their findings that the life expectancy of Americans has been consistently decreasing since 2019, reaching 77.0 years in 2020 and further declining to 76.1 years in 2021.
Dr. Brendan Yan, the lead author of the study (University of California, San Francisco), expressed concern over the research results, stating that the continuous decline in life expectancy is troubling. He emphasized the need to closely examine which age groups are experiencing a decrease in life expectancy to address this disparity.
Dr. Yan highlighted the factors contributing to the increasing gap in life expectancy between men and women, pointing out that a particular focus should be on addressing deteriorating mental health in men. The study’s authors identified diabetes, heart disease, despair, suicide, and alcoholism as significant factors contributing to the increasing gap in life expectancy between men and women.
