Life expectancy increased as world addressed major killers including diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, and stroke

Poor management of pandemic curtailed progress in many places

2024-04-04

(Press-News.org) Global life expectancy increased by 6.2 years since 1990 according to a new study published in The Lancet. Over the past three decades, reductions in death from leading killers fueled this progress, including diarrhea and lower respiratory infections, as well as stroke and ischemic heart disease. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, however, it derailed progress in many locations. This is the first study to compare deaths from COVID-19 to deaths from other causes globally.

Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers found that the super-region of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania had the largest net gain in life expectancy between 1990 and 2021 (8.3 years), largely due to reductions in mortality from chronic respiratory diseases, stroke, lower respiratory infections, and cancer. The super-region’s strong management of the COVID-19 pandemic helped preserve these gains. South Asia had the second-largest net increase in life expectancy among super-regions between 1990 and 2021 (7.8 years), primarily thanks to steep declines in deaths from diarrheal diseases.

“Our study presents a nuanced picture of the world’s health,” said Dr. Liane Ong, co-first author of the study and a Lead Research Scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). “On one hand, we see countries’ monumental achievements in preventing deaths from diarrhea and stroke,” she said. “At the same time, we see how much the COVID-19 pandemic has set us back.”

The study also highlights how COVID-19 radically altered the top five causes of death for the first time in 30 years. COVID-19 displaced a long-dominant killer – stroke – to become the second-leading cause of death globally. The research presents updated estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. The authors found that the super-regions where the COVID-19 pandemic hit hardest were Latin America and the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa, which lost the most years of life expectancy due to COVID-19 in 2021. While documenting the enormous loss of life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers also pinpointed the reasons behind the improvements in life expectancy in every super-region. Looking across different causes of death, the study reveals sharp drops in deaths from enteric diseases – a class of diseases that includes diarrhea and typhoid. These improvements increased life expectancy worldwide by 1.1 years between 1990 and 2021. Reductions in deaths from lower respiratory infections added 0.9 years to global life expectancy during this period. Progress in preventing deaths from other causes also drove up life expectancy around the world, including stroke, neonatal disorders, ischemic heart disease, and cancer. For each disease, reductions in deaths were most pronounced between 1990 and 2019.

At the regional level, Eastern sub-Saharan Africa experienced the largest increase in life expectancy, which jumped by 10.7 years between 1990 and 2021. Control of diarrheal diseases was the leading force behind improvements in this region. East Asia had the second-largest gain in life expectancy; the region’s success in slashing deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease played a key role.

The GBD 2021 study measures mortality by cause of death and years of life lost at global, regional, national, and subnational levels. The analysis links specific causes of death to changes in life expectancy.

The study illuminates not only the diseases that have driven increases and decreases in life expectancy, but also looks at how patterns of disease have shifted across locations over time, presenting, as the authors write, an “opportunity to deepen our understanding of mortality-reduction strategies…[which] might reveal areas where successful public health interventions have been implemented.”

GBD 2021 highlights places that have made huge strides in preventing deaths from major diseases and injuries. It also emphasizes how some of the most burdensome diseases are now concentrated in certain locations, underscoring opportunities for intervention. For example, in 2021, deaths from enteric diseases were largely concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. For another disease, malaria, the researchers found that 90% of deaths occurred in an area inhabited by just 12% of the world’s population in a stretch of land ranging from Western sub-Saharan Africa through Central Africa to Mozambique.

“We already know how to save children from dying from enteric infections including diarrheal diseases, and progress in fighting this disease has been tremendous,” said Professor Mohsen Naghavi, the study’s co-first author and the Director of Subnational Burden of Disease Estimation at IHME. “Now, we need to focus on preventing and treating these diseases, strengthening and expanding immunization programs, and developing brand-new vaccines against E. coli, norovirus, and Shigella,” he added.

In addition to providing new insights on COVID-19, the study reveals growing threats from non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and kidney diseases, which are increasing in every country. The researchers also point to uneven progress against conditions such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, and cancer. High-income countries have driven down deaths from many types of non-communicable diseases, but many low-income countries have not.

“The global community must ensure that the lifesaving tools that have cut deaths from ischemic heart disease, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases in most high-income countries are available to people in all countries, even where resources are limited,” said Eve Wool, senior author of the study and a Senior Research Manager at IHME.

For interview requests, journalists may contact media@healthdata.org. For full study results, including the paper and related tables, finalized PDFs are available at https://bit.ly/2021CoD, embargoed until 23.30 UK, 6:30 p.m. EDT on April 3, 2024. The post-embargo link for the paper is https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00367-2/fulltext. An infographic summarizing the study’s findings can be found at https://bit.ly/3TDwsce.

About the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent research organization at the University of Washington (UW). Its mission is to deliver to the world timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence to improve health policy and practice. IHME carries out its mission through a range of projects within different research areas including the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors; Future Health Scenarios; Cost Effectiveness and Efficiency; Resource Tracking; and Impact Evaluations.

IHME is committed to providing the evidence base necessary to help solve the world’s most important health problems. This requires creativity and innovation, which are cultivated by an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment that respects and appreciates differences, embraces collaboration, and invites the voices of all IHME team members.

About the Global Burden of Disease Study

The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is the largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time. It draws on the work of more than 11,000 collaborators across more than 160 countries and territories. GBD 2021 — the newly published most recent round of GBD results — includes more than 607 billion estimates of 371 diseases and injuries and 88 risk factors in 204 countries and territories. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation coordinates the study.

Tables

Table 1: Leading causes of death, global, 1990

Cause

Rank

Age-standardized rate per 100,000

Ischemic heart disease

1

158.9

Stroke

2

144.3

COPD

3

71.9

Lower respiratory infections

4

61.8

Diarrheal diseases

5

60.6

Neonatal disorders

6

46.0

Tuberculosis

7

40.0

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer

8

27.6

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

9

25.1

Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases

10

24.4

Stomach cancer

11

22.0

Road injuries

12

21.8

Hypertensive heart disease

13

20.9

Diabetes mellitus

14

18.2

Colon and rectum cancer

15

15.6

Congenital birth defects

16

15.2

Self-harm

17

14.9

Chronic kidney disease

18

14.9

Malaria

19

12.5

Measles

20

11.0

Falls

21

10.9

*HIV/AIDS

34

5.9

*Cause shown to display changes over time.

Table 2: Leading causes of death, global, 2019

Cause

Rank

Age-standardized rate per 100,000

Ischemic heart disease

1

110.9

Stroke

2

89.3

COPD

3

46.1

Lower respiratory infections

4

34.7

Neonatal disorders

5

30.7

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

6

25.0

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer

7

23.7

Diabetes mellitus

8

19.8

Chronic kidney disease

9

18.6

Diarrheal diseases

10

17.1

Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases

11

17.1

Hypertensive heart disease

12

16.9

Road injuries

13

15.1

Tuberculosis

14

14.9

Colon and rectum cancer

15

12.6

Stomach cancer

16

11.5

Falls

17

10.3

HIV/AIDS

18

9.8

Malaria

19

9.3

Self-harm

20

9.2

Congenital birth defects

21

8.9

*Measles

67

1.4

*Cause shown to display change over time.

Table 3: Leading causes of death, global, 2021

Cause

Rank

Age-standardized rate per 100,000

Ischemic heart disease

1

108.7

COVID-19

2

94.0

Stroke

3

87.4

COPD

4

45.2

Other COVID outcomes

5

32.3

Neonatal disorders

6

29.6

Lower respiratory infections

7

28.7

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

8

25.2

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer

9

23.5

Diabetes mellitus

10

19.6

Chronic kidney disease

11

18.5

Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases

12

16.6

Hypertensive heart disease

13

16.3

Diarrheal diseases

14

15.4

Road injuries

15

14.6

Tuberculosis

16

14.0

Colon and rectum cancer

17

12.4

Stomach cancer

18

11.2

Malaria

19

10.5

Falls

20

9.9

Self-harm

21

9.0

HIV/AIDS

22

8.7

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Research shows direct link between state income taxes and migration

2024-04-04

After the introduction of the income tax in the United States, there has been a migration of higher income earners toward states with lower or no income tax, a new study reveals. This first-ever systematic analysis of 110 years of state income tax implementation throughout the United States also highlights the consequences of taxpayers fleeing to low or no-tax states. Published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, the study is titled “The Introduction of the Income Tax, Fiscal Capacity, and Migration: Evidence from U.S. States” and was coauthored by Ugo Antonio Troiano, economist and associate ...

SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) appoints Kathryn Helde, PhD, as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) focusing on SYNGAP1 research

2024-04-04

Mill Valley, CA – April 4, 2024 – SynGAP Research Fund 501(c)(3), the leading patient advocacy group working to improve the lives of SYNGAP1-Related Disorder (SRD) patients, today announced the appointment of Kathryn Helde, PhD, as its Chief Scientific Officer, effective February 1, 2024. “SRF’s scientific grantmaking, industry partnerships, and repurposing efforts have grown past the point where we need a dedicated CSO,” says Mike Graglia, SRF’s Co-Founder and Managing Director. “We are fortunate to have a parent in our ranks who is as well trained, talented, and dedicated as Dr. Helde. As a volunteer for years, ...

Recent contact with young children linked to trebling of risk of over-60s acquiring pneumonia-causing bacteria

2024-04-04

Findings from US longitudinal household study add to ongoing US vaccination policy discussions by suggesting that pneumococcal vaccination in older adults is important even in populations where children are vaccinated at high rates. **Note: the release below is a special early release from the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024, Barcelona, Spain, 27-30 April). Please credit the congress if you use this story** New research being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) in Barcelona, Spain (27-30 April) finds that pneumonia-causing ...

Dartmouth researchers map how the brain regulates emotions

2024-04-03

Ever want to scream during a particularly bad day, but then manage not to? Thank the human brain and how it regulates emotions, which can be critical for navigating everyday life. As we perceive events unfolding around us, the ability to be flexible and reframe a situation impacts not only how we feel, but also our behavior and decision-making. In fact, some of the problems associated with mental health relate to individuals' inability to be flexible, such as when persistent negative thoughts make it hard to perceive a situation differently. To help address such issues, a new Dartmouth-led ...

Better nutrition can lead to better brain health, GSA publication shows

2024-04-03

“Insights & Implications in Gerontology: The Vital Role of Nutrition in Brain Health,” a new publication from the Gerontological Society of America, explores nutritional choices that have been shown to improve cognition and decrease the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Consumption of a healthful diet is a behavioral strategy that can help to prevent the development of dementia as people age, the publication says. It also reports on the roles of vitamins and minerals in nutrition and brain function and focuses on how to implement person-centered conversations about the impact of diet and nutrition on overall wellness, including brain ...

Women with serious mental illness want pregnancy information, resources from mental health providers

2024-04-03

Women with serious mental illness (SMI) who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy face gaps in information, support and resources in mental health services, new research suggests. The findings, published April 1 in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, highlight the need to integrate pregnancy and parenting interventions, education, and other resources for women with SMI into mental health services. Policies that increase mental health provider and clinic capacity to address pregnancy and parenting can dramatically improve care for women living with mental ...

Out of the park: new research tallies total carbon impact of tourism at Yellowstone

2024-04-03

People depend on natural ecosystems of trees, grasses and shrubs to capture carbon from the atmosphere and pull it underground to slow the decline toward climate-change disaster. Ironically, these same protected spaces also tend to be highly photogenic hot-spots for tourism. New research from the Quinney College of Natural Resources and the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism makes a case study of one such place — Yellowstone National Park — to calculate surplus carbon visitors from across the world add to the atmosphere each year as a direct ...

Paper: Policy reforms urgently needed to mitigate racial disparities in perinatal mental health conditions

2024-04-03

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A team of researchers is calling for comprehensive changes to U.S. health care and social policies to improve diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mental health conditions and mitigate the dramatic disparities that put women of color at significantly greater risks of morbidity and mortality compared with white women. In a commentary published in the journal Health Affairs, the researchers proposed seven comprehensive changes to health care and economic policies to mitigate the burden of undiagnosed and untreated perinatal mental health challenges that are greatest among racial ...

MIT researchers discover “neutronic molecules”

2024-04-03

Neutrons are subatomic particles that have no electric charge, unlike protons and electrons. That means that while the electromagnetic force is responsible for most of the interactions between radiation and materials, neutrons are essentially immune to that force. Instead, neutrons are held together inside an atom’s nucleus solely by something called the strong force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. As its name implies, the force is indeed very strong, but only at very close range — it drops off so rapidly as to be negligible beyond 1/10,000 the size of an atom. But now, researchers at MIT have found that neutrons can actually be made to cling ...

Extending Medicaid coverage after birth may increase postpartum treatment for depression, anxiety

2024-04-03

Extending postpartum Medicaid eligibility extensions may increase treatment for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), a leading cause of perinatal illness and mortality, according to a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Brown University researchers. Published in the journal Health Affairs, the study found that retaining Medicaid coverage after birth increased outpatient mental health and medication treatment for PMADs by 20.5 percentage points, compared to birthing people who received commercial coverage. Retaining postpartum Medicaid also appeared to significantly lower patients’ out-of-pocket spending ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Research Spotlight: Combining dexmedetomidine with spinal anesthesia prolongs pain relief and decreases shivering during surgery

Pennington Biomedical’s 2025 Bray Obesity Symposium to offer on-demand continuing education for physicians

Unlocking faster orthodontic treatments: the role of atf6 in bone remodeling

SwRI-led Lucy mission survey of main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson imminent

New bat cell lines and reagents help to study bat antiviral immune responses against hantaviruses and coronaviruses

Preterm birth might be predicted with high accuracy with new cheap, non-invasive test, based on cell-free DNA collected in standard early pregnancy testing