Recent studies have highlighted a growing disparity in the life expectancy of men and women in the United States. The life expectancy at birth in the U.S. has seen a decline for the second consecutive year, dropping from 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.1 years in 2021. More notably, women are now outliving men by an average of six years, marking the largest gender gap in life expectancy since 1996.
Several factors have been identified as contributing to this gap. Lower cardiovascular disease and lung cancer death rates in women, differences in smoking behaviors, and a higher mortality rate from COVID-19 in men have all played a role. Additionally, men's likelihood to skip routine health checkups, their predominance in dangerous jobs, and higher rates of heart disease have also been cited as contributing factors.
The gap is also attributed to improved medical care for women, such as reductions in cancer and perinatal conditions. Chronic metabolic disease and mental illness may also contribute to the gap. The phenomenon of 'deaths of despair', which includes suicide, drug overdoses, accidents, and unintentional injuries, has been a significant contributor to the declining life expectancy, particularly among men.
Interestingly, this gender disparity in life expectancy is not exclusive to humans but is also observed in other mammals. The studies also criticize the US for its lack of investment in healthcare and mental health services, despite being a powerful nation. This lack of investment is seen as a contributing factor to the declining life expectancy and the widening gender gap.