Women Now in U.S lives 6 years longer than men

The divergence in life expectancy between women and men in the United States surged to nearly six years in 2021, marking a near two-decade pinnacle. This revelation stems from a research letter published in the esteemed JAMA Internal Medicine, authored by medical professionals from prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Boston University, the University of California, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a meticulous examination of mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics, researchers discerned that in the pre-pandemic period spanning 2010 to 2019, the life expectancy gap between women, who have historically outlived men, and their male counterparts expanded by approximately two and a half months. This increase was predominantly attributable to factors encompassing accidental injuries, diabetes, suicide, homicide, and heart disease.

However, during the pandemic from 2019 through 2021, this gap more than tripled, reaching seven and a half months. The main contributors to this extended gap included COVID, accidental injuries, homicide, heart disease, and suicide. Notably, women continued to surpass men in life expectancy during this period.

Men bore a disproportionate burden of COVID-related deaths, with the authors attributing this discrepancy to factors such as a higher disease burden, variances in health behaviors, and socioeconomic elements like employment, incarceration, and homelessness.

The gap in life expectancy would have widened even further during the pandemic if not for an increase in maternal deaths, a noteworthy observation made by the authors.

This revelation coincides with a broader trend of diminishing life expectancy in the United States for both genders. In 2021, life expectancy contracted for the second consecutive year, settling at 76.1 years. This downturn, influenced by the COVID pandemic and the phenomenon of "deaths of despair," contrasts with figures of 78.8 years in 2019 and 77 years in 2020.

The term "deaths of despair" encapsulates fatalities resulting from causes such as suicide, drug use, and alcoholic liver disease—factors intricately linked to economic hardships, depression, and stress. Brandon Yan, the first author of the letter and a resident physician at the University of California, San Francisco, highlighted the disproportionate increase in such deaths among men.

The statistics reveal that, in both 2020 and 2021, approximately 80% of suicides and 70% of accidental drug overdoses occurred among men. Furthermore, men accounted for 55% of COVID-related deaths, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

These imbalances underscore the potential necessity for specialized care for men, particularly in realms such as mental health, to address and ameliorate the life expectancy gap. Yan emphasized the need for vigilant scrutiny of data from 2022 and beyond to ascertain the persistence of these concerning trends.

Delving into the broader context, the longevity gender gap is a global phenomenon, with women consistently outliving men in nearly every country. Globally, the average life expectancy stands at 79 years for women and 72 years for men. Historical trends indicate a consistent and substantial widening of this gap in developed countries like the United States from the 1920s through the 1970s.

The underlying reasons for this gender disparity in life expectancy are multifaceted. Men's proclivity for smoking and engaging in risky behaviors contributes significantly, as highlighted by the Population Reference Bureau. Additionally, biological differences may play a role, with estrogen in women potentially conferring protection against heart disease, and women exhibiting a potentially stronger immune system than men.

In conclusion, the widening life expectancy gap in the United States, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the urgency for targeted interventions, especially in addressing the disproportionate impact on men. These insights provide a critical foundation for further research and public health initiatives to mitigate the factors contributing to this concerning trend.