Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Life Expectancy Dips For White Women: Statistical Blip Or 'Harbinger Of Things To Come'?
NPR: Life Expectancy Drops For White Women, Increases For Black Men
White women are dying at a slightly younger age than they used to. That's according to a report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The life expectancy for non-Hispanic white women in the United States declined by one month — from 81.2 years to 81.1 years — from 2013 to 2014. Though just one month may not seem like much, demographers worry — it's the first time since the government began keeping records that white women saw their life expectancy decline, according to the report. (Kodjak, 4/20)
The Associated Press: Report: Life Expectancy Dipped A Bit For White Women In US
The last time there was a one-year drop for white women was in 2008. That was considered a statistical blip, said Robert Anderson of the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. That could also be the case for the 2014 decline "or it could be a harbinger of things to come," Anderson said. That won't be known until data from more years comes in, he added. Some recent reports have shown rising suicide and drug overdose death rates for white women — particularly middle-aged ones. (4/20)
The Washington Post: Life Expectancy For White Females In U.S. Suffers Rare Decline
Amid the bleak news for whites have been the improving numbers for African Americans and Hispanics, the new study indicates. Hispanic life expectancy rose from 81.6 to 81.8 years between 2013 and 2014; gains were seen for both males and females. Life expectancy for blacks rose from 75.1 to 75.2 years, driven by a particularly large jump among black males, from 71.8 to 72.2 years. "The gap between the white and black populations is quickly closing, and it's mainly because the black population is experiencing a great drop in mortality," said [Elizabeth Arias, a demographer with the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics]. (Achenbach, 4/20)
