U.S. life expectancy experienced a significant increase last year, surpassing the previous year by more than a year. However, it still remains below pre-pandemic levels.

According to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rise in life expectancy in 2022 can mainly be attributed to the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this substantial increase, the average life expectancy in the United States is currently 77 years and 6 months, which is approximately the same as it was two decades ago.

Life expectancy is an estimation of the average number of years a baby born in a specific year can expect to live, assuming the death rates at that time remain constant. This snapshot statistic is considered one of the most important indicators of the overall health of the U.S. population. It is important to note that the calculations for 2022 released on Wednesday are provisional and subject to slight changes as the final calculations are made.

For many years, U.S. life expectancy experienced a gradual increase on an annual basis. However, approximately a decade ago, the upward trend began to flatten and even decline in certain years, primarily due to overdose deaths and suicides.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, resulting in the deaths of over 1.1 million people in the United States since early 2020. As a result, the measure of American longevity plummeted, dropping from 78 years and 10 months in 2019 to 77 years in 2020, and further declining to 76 years and 5 months in 2021.

According to the CDC's Elizabeth Arias, the United States has experienced a significant setback, losing two decades of progress. The decline in COVID-19 deaths in 2022 contributed to this improvement. In 2021, COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the country, but it dropped to the fourth position last year. Preliminary data for 2023 suggests that COVID-19 could end up being the ninth or tenth leading cause of death. However, the US is facing other challenges, such as an increase in drug overdose deaths and suicides.

Last year, the number of suicides in the US reached an all-time high, with the national suicide rate being the highest since 1941. Drug overdose deaths also saw a slight increase in the past year, following two significant jumps at the beginning of the pandemic. Furthermore, US life expectancy remains lower than many other countries, and it has not rebounded as quickly as in France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

Life Expectancy Increases Amid Pandemic

A recent study conducted by mortality researcher Steven Woolf at Virginia Commonwealth University suggests that the United States is expected to eventually return to pre-pandemic life expectancy levels.

However, Woolf emphasizes that this should not be seen as an ideal situation. "That is not a great place to be," he warns.

Key Findings:

• Life expectancy has increased for both men and women, as well as for every racial and ethnic group.
• The decline in COVID-19 deaths accounted for 84% of the overall increase in life expectancy. The second largest contributor was a decrease in deaths related to heart disease, which contributed approximately 4% to the increase. It is worth noting that heart disease deaths actually increased during the pandemic and were a significant factor in many COVID-19 related deaths.
• Changes in life expectancy varied across different racial and ethnic groups. Hispanic Americans and American Indians and Alaska Natives experienced the largest increase, with life expectancy rising by more than two years in 2022. Black life expectancy increased by over 1 1/2 years, while Asian American and white life expectancies rose by one year and about 10 months, respectively.

However, it is important to consider these changes in relation to the initial impact of COVID-19 on Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. Both groups experienced significant declines in life expectancy, with Hispanic life expectancy dropping by more than four years between 2019 and 2021, and Native American life expectancy falling by over six years.

According to Mark Hayward, a sociology professor at the University of Texas, the groups that were most affected by COVID-19 are now experiencing the largest increases in life expectancy. Hayward's research focuses on understanding the impact of various factors on adult mortality. He explains that these groups had more to recover from, which is why their life expectancy is rising significantly.