Life expectancy has returned to pre-pandemic levels globally according to the Global Burden of Diseases study, but the rise in youth mortality rates, particularly among teens and young adults in North America and Eastern Europe, is raising serious concerns. The recovery in life expectancy highlights significant improvements in overall health outcomes, while the spike in deaths among younger populations underscores a complex and urgent public health challenge.
The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) includes new and updated estimates of all-cause mortality and life expectancy from 1950 to 2023, combining data from over 24,000 sources, including surveys and censuses. The number of deaths between 1950 and 2023 increased by 35% due to population growth and aging, but the age-standardized mortality rate fell by 66.6%, indicating people are living much longer overall. While global life expectancy increased drastically from 1950 to 2019—reaching 76.3 years for females and 71.4 years for males—the coronavirus pandemic caused a temporary drop in life expectancy. Between 2022 and 2023, life expectancy returned to pre-pandemic levels, with females at 76.3 years and males at 71.5 years. Despite this, the study found that youth and young adult mortality rates increased between 2011 and 2023. In North America, mortality rates for those aged 5 to 14 years rose 11.5%, while those aged 25 to 29 saw a 31.7% spike and those aged 30-39 experienced nearly a 50% increase. In Eastern Europe, the largest increase in mortality occurred among 15- to 19-year-olds with a 53.9% rise, and those aged 20-24 saw a 40.1% increase. Researchers attribute the jump in young mortality to factors such as substance use, behavioral health issues, and “deaths of despair” like drug overdoses, alcohol-related complications, and suicide, driven by economic, social, and psychological factors. The study highlights the need for policy priorities to shift to address these challenges, with experts urging policymakers to prioritize improving access to care and addressing the social determinants of health for younger populations.