Life expectancy in the U.S. has dropped sharply in the last two years, to the point that now the average Cuban will live nearly three years more than the average American.
The latest numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that, in 2021, U.S. life expectancy at birth is now 76.1 years, dropping by nearly a full year from the 2020 figure.
Life expectancy for men is now 73.2, and for women, it is 79.9.
The decline means that several countries have caught up with or surpassed the U.S. According to World Bank data, Cuba’s life expectancy is 78.9, and China’s is 77.1, although both figures are from 2020 rather than 2021.
Other countries that are ahead of the U.S. in terms of life expectancy include: Colombia, Uruguay and Chile; Costa Rica, Panama and Puerto Rico; and Turkey, Greece and Albania.
All of those countries have a GDP per head in dollar terms that is less than half of that of Americans.
The U.S. ranks around 50th in the world for life expectancy (depending on data and what is considered a country or territory), and this has dropped 2.7 years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I'm inclined to trust the Cuban figures, as Cuba has better medical training the US and free health care for all its residents. The Chinese health care system, in contrast, is private and leaves rural residents without access to hospital care unless they are extremely wealthy.
I know the US is near the bottom of the "developed" world in life expectancy. I wouldn't trust the values for Cuba and China too much though.
I'm inclined to trust the Cuban figures, as Cuba has better medical training the US and free health care for all its residents. The Chinese health care system, in contrast, is private and leaves rural residents without access to hospital care unless they are extremely wealthy.