American women are living nearly 6 years longer than men, new study finds. But why?

1. A recent report reveals that the life expectancy gap between women and men in the United States has reached its highest point in decades. From 2010 to 2021, the gap expanded to 5.8 years, with women expected to live around six years longer than men. Factors such as COVID-19 and drug overdose deaths have contributed to this significant difference in longevity since 1996. The study, published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, focused on how COVID-19 and other underlying causes of death have widened the gap over the past decade. While cardiovascular and lung cancer deaths have traditionally explained the gender disparity in life expectancy, researchers now attribute other leading causes of death as well as multiple factors for the widening gap. The study also highlighted that COVID-19 had a greater impact on men, with higher mortality rates compared to women. However, some factors, such as maternal deaths among women and a decline in cancer deaths among men, have partially prevented the gap from expanding further. It is important to address the various factors contributing to this gap in order to improve overall life expectancy for both genders.