A recent international study published in The Lancet journal revealed.
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on global life expectancy. The research conducted by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Causes of Death Collaborators found that COVID-19 replaced stroke as the second-leading cause of death globally in 2021, resulting in a reduction of life expectancy by 1.6 years.
The study estimated that deaths worldwide rose by 10.8% in 2020 compared to 2019 and 7.5% in 2021 compared to 2020.
The study highlighted that COVID-19 and related deaths reduced global life expectancy by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021. This marked a stark contrast to the consistent improvements in life expectancy observed between 1990 and 2019.
Furthermore, the researchers noted that COVID-19’s impact on life expectancy varied widely across regions. The highest death rates from COVID-19 were reported in sub-Saharan Africa, while the lowest rates were observed in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania.
The researchers revealed that COVID-19’s influence on life expectancy was diverse, ranging from a loss of 4.9 years in Andean Latin America to almost no change in East Asia.
Latin America and the Caribbean experienced high death rates, with approximately 271 deaths per one lakh population. At the same time, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania reported much lower rates, at around 23 deaths per one lakh population.
Despite the impact of COVID-19, ischaemic heart disease remained the leading cause of death worldwide in 2021, followed by stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other pandemic-related mortality.
The study provided comprehensive insights into the global disease landscape, offering a detailed understanding of the changes in disease-burden patterns during the first two years of the pandemic.
This research sheds light on the profound influence of COVID-19 on global life expectancy and emphasizes the need for continued efforts to mitigate its impact on public health worldwide.
