The latest “United States Life Tables 2018” report from NCHS reveals the rich history of life expectancy in the U.S., spanning from 1900 to 2018. In 1900, the average life expectancy at birth was a mere 47.3 y
ears.
Fast forward to 2018, and it has significantly increased to 78.7 years. This report highlights the dynamic changes in life expectancy and the factors influencing these shifts.
Volatility in Early 20th Century Life Expectancy
The early 20th century saw considerable volatility. Between 1902 and 1928, it declined 13 times. The most dramatic drop occurred during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which slashed life expectancy by 11.8 years—from 50.9 years in 1917 to 39.1 years in 1918.
Remarkably, this trend reversed in 1919, with average life jumping 15.6 years to 54.7 years as the pandemic subsided.
Significant Health Events Impacting Life Expectancy
Historical declines are often linked to major health events. The Great Depression and World War II saw four years of decreased life expectancy. Similarly, the “Asian Flu” pandemic in 1957 caused a slight dip.
Typically, declines are brief, with life expectancy rebounding quickly. Between 1924 and 2018, life expectancy dropped for two consecutive years only once, in 1962 and 1963. More recently, it fell in 2015 and 2017, remained steady in 2016, and slightly increased in 2018.
Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy
Disparities between racial groups persists. In 2018, non-Hispanic whites had a higher life expectancy at birth than non-Hispanic blacks, with a gap of 3.9 years. Conversely, U.S. Hispanics outlived non-Hispanic whites by 3.2 years.
These gaps narrow with age. By age 65, the gap between non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks shrinks to 1.4 years, and the gap between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites reduces to 2.0 years. At age 75, the gap between non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks nearly closes to 0.3 years and narrows to 1.7 years between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.
By age 79, the gap between non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks vanishes, and at age 80, non-Hispanic blacks have a slightly higher expectancy than non-Hispanic whites (9.2 years vs. 9.1 years). The gap between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks remains at least one year throughout the life tables.
Possible Explanations for Disparities
The gap can be attributed to higher death rates from external or “premature” causes among younger non-Hispanic blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. While this report does not delve into specific reasons for these disparities, other NCHS reports address causes of death that contribute to these differences.
Conclusion
Understanding trends and disparities in the U.S. provides valuable insights into the nation’s health. The “United States Life Tables 2018” report offers a comprehensive overview of these trends, highlighting the impact of significant health events and ongoing racial disparities.
