May 25, 2023
The pandemic saw significant declines in U.S. life expectancy and widened existing racial disparities, according to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
U.S. life expectancy declined 2.7 years from 2019 to 2021, the largest two-year decline since the 1920s. The decline in life expectancy was even greater among Black, Latino, and American Indian and Alaska natives. Those groups were disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
“The recent declines and widening of disparities in life expectancy highlight the urgency and importance of addressing disparities in health broadly and increased attention to disparities in mortality and life expectancy specifically,” the report notes.
Here’s what you need to know:
“Continued efforts within and beyond the health care system will be important to reduce ongoing racial disparities in life expectancy, many of which are rooted in systemic racism,” the report concluded.
Pennsylvania’s hospitals are committed to addressing health disparities in our communities. HAP’s Racial Health Equity Learning Action Network (RHELAN) convenes Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems to work collaboratively to identify and confront systemic inequality and structural racism in health care.
The KFF report is available online.
Tags: Public Health | COVID-19 | Health disparities
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