Twin consequences of rising U.S. death rates among young adults: Lower life expectancy and greater lifespan variability

Abstract

The current study is an original investigation of the U.S. mortality pattern from 2000 to 2017. Previous research has shown that the unusual post-2014 decline in life expectancy is related to the increase in death rates for ages 25-44, mostly due to rising prevalence in drug poisoning and suicide deaths. Our investigation reveals that such increase in younger-age mortality has had an impact not only on life expectancy (or mean age at death), but also, and to a larger extent, on lifespan variability (the dispersion around the mean age at death). Even though lifespan variability is a key component of mortality change, as well as a measure of human well-being, with social, economic, and psychological implications, it has received much less attention than life expectancy has.

Keywords: Inequality; Life expectancy; Lifespan variability; Mortality; United States.