US Excess Deaths

Isn’t every death and excess death? Yes and no. Until recently, US life expectancy was increasing. The pandemic hit, and the term ‘excess’ became understandable by comparing pre-pandemic to pandemic death rates. About the same time, US life expectancy began declining and experiencing an increase in excess deaths. The pandemic did have an impact, but the study suggests things like obesity.

“In 2021, more than 892,000 of the 3,456,000 deaths the U.S. experienced, or about 1 in 4, were “excess deaths.” In 2019, that number was 483,000 deaths, or nearly 1 in 6. That represents an 84.9% increase in excess deaths in the U.S. between 2019 and 2021.”

Guns and drugs also have hindered improvements for the US.

Despite so many of the US’ advantages, the US also has unique, and sometimes self-created hurdles to improving health. Self-created problems can respond to self-created solutions; which is good news. In the meantime, individual action may be the quickest and most effective response.