The average life expectancy of American men declined to 76.1 years, while the difference is small what sticks out is that it has declined every year since 2014 which is a troubling sign as more men are succumbing to deaths of despair.
“The recent increases were especially pronounced among men aged 25–34 and 35 -44,” the NCHS report noted. “From 2013 to 2017, the drug overdose death rate increased by an average of 18.5% per year among men aged 25–34 and by an average of 18.8% per year among men aged 35–44.”
The rising mortality rate is explained in part by rising death rates due to drug overdoses, suicides, as well as alcohol related deaths and diseases. The mortality rate is also partially explained by the theory of different health outcomes for richer and poorer households, which is an issue that has been exacerbated by the rising income inequality in America.