Youth mortality rates rise despite recovery in life expectancy globally, study finds

Life expectancy has returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to global health research – but mortality rates among adolescents and young adults are of increasing concern.

The latest version of the Global Burden of Disease, Injury and Risk Factors (GBD) study includes new and updated estimates of all-cause mortality and life expectancy from 1950 to 2023.

Combining data from more than 24,000 sources, including surveys and censuses, the report includes mortality estimates during crises like COVID-19.

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The number of deaths between 1950 and 2023 increased by 35% due to population growth and aging, but the age-standardized mortality rate decreased by 66.6%, indicating that people are living much longer overall.

Global life expectancy increased significantly between 1950 and 2019. For women, it increased from 51.2 years to 76.3 years, while that of men increased from 47.9 years to 71.4 years during the same period.

The age-standardized death rate decreased by 66.6%, indicating that people are living longer. (iStock)

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a temporary decline in global life expectancy, with women falling to 74.7 years and men to 69.3 years.

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Between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy returned to pre-pandemic levels – with 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men.

The study found that 95% of countries experienced some recovery, while 62% either fully recovered or improved beyond 2019 levels.

Women have regained a life expectancy of 76.3 years and men 71.5 years, according to the latest report. (iStock)

While global life expectancy is increasing, mortality rates among youth and young adults increased between 2011 and 2023, according to the report.

In North America, mortality rates among 5 to 14 year olds increased by 11.5%. They increased by 31.7% for 25 to 29 year olds and by almost 50% for the 30 to 39 year old group.

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In Eastern Europe, the largest increase in mortality occurred among those aged 15 to 19, with an increase of 53.9%, and among those aged 20 to 24, an increase of 40.1%.

Researchers have highlighted possible reasons why mortality is increasing among young people, including substance use and behavioral health problems in North America and Latin America.

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This involves “deaths of despair,” such as drug overdoses, alcohol-related complications, and suicides motivated by economic, social, and psychological factors.

Mortality rates have increased among youth and young adults, which could be due to economic, social and psychological factors. (iStock)

The researchers stressed that policy priorities for reducing mortality worldwide “must change if they are to best respond to this reality.”

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“Policymakers in these locations should therefore prioritize policies that improve access to care and address the social determinants of health for these age groups in particular,” the authors commented.

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“The results of this study will help inform policy development, implementation and evaluation to ensure that health systems, economies and societies are prepared to meet the world’s greatest health needs,” they added.