A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analysed US death certificate data for residents born between the 1890s and the 1980s. The research team, which included Leah Abrams of Tufts University and collaborators from The University of Texas Medical Branch and European institutions, examined changes in mortality from 1979 through 2023 across age groups and cohorts.
The team studied deaths from all causes and three major groups: cardiovascular disease, cancer, and external causes, which include drug overdoses, suicides, homicides and accidents. This approach let them test whether a single problem or several overlapping problems explain shorter lives.
The results show that some birth cohorts — notably people born in late Gen X and early Millennial years — have higher mortality than their predecessors. The authors note that rises in "deaths of despair" and slower progress against heart disease are part of the story, but no single explanation fits all ages and cohorts. The findings raise important questions for public health policy and further research.
Difficult words
- analyse — study data to find patterns or meaninganalysed
- cohort — group of people born around same timecohorts
- mortality — number of deaths in a group
- cardiovascular disease — illnesses of the heart and blood vessels
- external cause — deaths from accidents, violence, or drugsexternal causes
- death of despair — suicides, drug overdoses, and related deathsdeaths of despair
- policy — plans or actions by governments or organisations
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What public health policies could help reduce deaths of despair in younger cohorts?
- Why might people born in late Gen X and early Millennial years have higher mortality than earlier cohorts?
- What further research would you suggest to understand these changes in mortality?
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