According to a recent report, life expectancy in the U.S. is lower than any other developed country in the world due to higher mortality rates among Americans younger than 50.
The research conducted by Jessica Ho, a University of Pennsylvania doctoral candidate in demography and sociology, found that life expectancy in the United States is lower than any other developed country in the world. The reason behind this was because of the higher mortality rates among Americans younger than 50. Ho used cross-national mortality data between 2006 and 2008 in order to understand better what age and cause of deaths resulted in shortage of life-expectancy in the U.S., according to a Science Daily report.
The information Ho gathered helped her understand the reason for the life expectancy shortfall among those aged below 50. She noted that most of the deaths were caused by non-communicable diseases, complications caused during early births, homicide or indulgence in drug use.
"These deaths have flown under the radar until recently," Ho said in the report. "This study shows that they are an important factor in our life expectancy shortfall relative to other countries."
Ho further noted the importance of prescribing the right kind and amount of drugs because according to her observations majority of the drug overdose deaths were caused by prescribed drug use.
She urged that policies should be redefined in order to reduce the major causes of deaths, which have been highlighted in her study, among those below age 50 and to promote social equality.
The study is published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
