US Life Expectancy Dropped Again in 2017 – Deaths from Unintentional Injuries Largest Increase

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released its 2017 Mortality in the United States study. The average US life expectancy dropped again in 2017 (for the third consecutive year) from 78.7 years from birth to 78.6.  Death rates increased significantly for those in age groups 25-34, 35-44 and 85 and over from 2016-2017. However, the death rate for those between ages 45 and 54 dropped significantly.  

The top three causes of death continue to be heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries.  While seven of the top ten leading causes of death had increases from 2016 to 2017, deaths from unintentional injuries made up the largest increase.  Deaths from drug overdoses fall in this category.  Using data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), the CDC found that adults age 25-54 had higher rates of drug overdose deaths than those aged 15-24 and 55 and over.  West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington DC had the highest age-adjusted drug overdose deaths in 2017.  Deaths from drug overdoses has climbed from 6.1 per 100,000 standard population in 1999 to 21.7 in 2017.