Life expectancy falls recently due to drugs, suicide

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

This story plus charts and other info appears in many different national news media over the past few days.........for whole story, google the subject and select which source you want to read.

______________________________

<<Average life expectancy in the United States fell between 2016 and 2017, fueled by increasing drug overdoses and suicides and continuing a declining trend seen since 2014.

Life expectancy at birth for the U.S. population in 2017 was 78.6 years – a decline from 78.7 the previous year, according to a report released Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The drop also marks a decline of three-tenths of a year from the peak American life expectancy of 78.9 years in 2014.

“The latest CDC data show that the U.S. life expectancy has declined over the past few years. Tragically, this troubling trend is largely driven by deaths from drug overdose and suicide," CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said in a statement. "These sobering statistics are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable."

The U.S. last experienced a life-expectancy dip over a similar multiyear period around the time of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, says Robert Anderson, chief of the Mortality Statistics Branch at the National Center for Health Statistics.

And while three-tenths of a year is nowhere near the dramatic decline witnessed a century ago – the pandemic spurred a drop in average life expectancy of about 12 years for both sexes over just a year – Anderson says it's "concerning."

"We’re living in a developed country with a fairly sophisticated health care system and lots of resources ... and we’ve had this increasing trend in life expectancy over the course of 100 years, and now all of the sudden it seems to (have) reversed,” Anderson says.>>

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

I wonder how much of the decline also has to do with people not being able to afford their medications.

I heard a report that by the year 2030 more than half of diabetics will not be able to afford their insulin. Something needs to be done. One of my prescriptions I just filled for insulin for 3 months said it cost over $5500.00 for the insurance company. I am going on Medicare soon and the Part D plan doesn't cover the drug either. I will need to find a substitute.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

Too many people, particularly the elderly on fixed incomes, have to decide between medication or food, or housing. This should not be happening. We can’t seem to be able to solve our problems anymore. We are all in this boat together and if we don’t focus on the well-being of our people, we’ll all sink.

sidsmom · ‎11-25-2011

“....to conditions that are preventable.”

Everyone will put their own spin on this to fit their own agenda.

I’m no different.

But with my POV, as humans we all need nutrition.

We all eat. That’s the common denominator.

Food can heal. Food can kill.

Plus food can mess with our mental state on so many different levels.

The wrong food is killing us.

We need to look to the longest living populations on Earth...

the Blue Zones...and implement their habits....beginning with

the most foundational part of this puzzle...the food.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

This is so sad. People start drugs to numb themselves form pain and commit suicide when even that doesn't take the pain away.

We are so disconnected from one another and lack the good manners and empathy that kept our grandparents young and with a smile on their face.

Don't ever underestimate what a kind gesture or word can do for someone.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

I read a similiar article.

On the positive side, death due to heart disease and cancer was down.

QueenDanceALot · ‎04-18-2013

Drug addiction and suicide are complex issues, requiring multipronged and complex solutions.

Medications and other therapies for many afflictions are too expensive for many people and many people eat lousy diets, but what do they have to do with drug addiction and suicide?

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@sidsmom wrote:
“....to conditions that are preventable.”

Everyone will put their own spin on this to fit their own agenda.
I’m no different.
But with my POV, as humans we all need nutrition.
We all eat. That’s the common denominator.
Food can heal. Food can kill.
Plus food can mess with our mental state on so many different levels.

The wrong food is killing us.

We need to look to the longest living populations on Earth...
the Blue Zones...and implement their habits....beginning with
the most foundational part of this puzzle...the food.

@sidsmom

Yes eating the right foods will help. Yet we still see healthy individuals eating, exercising plus doing the right thing that are still also dying.

With soil depletion it's hard to eat what's good for you. All that garbage in other food is not good either.

Sunnycorle · ‎03-09-2010

Gotta watch out for those Dugs!

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@Laura14 wrote:
This is so sad. People start drugs to numb themselves form pain and commit suicide when even that doesn't take the pain away.

We are so disconnected from one another and lack the good manners and empathy that kept our grandparents young and with a smile on their face.

Don't ever underestimate what a kind gesture or word can do for someone.

@Laura14

Not like the thought did not cross my mind when I had Shingles. I was in so much pain. I did not think it was ever going to go away.

Before this I could not imagine someone wanting to commit suicide but after being in the pain I was in I can see it.

I have never really had any pain or what I would call pain before I had Shingles. I can sympathize with people in pain now.