Key points from article :
An international study led by the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science examined how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted causes of death across 24 countries. Researchers analyzed mortality data before and during the pandemic, finding life expectancy dropped in 2020 for most countries, with the US showing the largest male decline of 2.1 years. By 2021, further losses were recorded, particularly in Bulgaria and Latvia.
The study revealed that cardiovascular disease significantly contributed to life expectancy losses, especially in Russia and Eastern Europe, due to potential lapses in treatment or uncounted COVID-19 deaths. Russia faced a 5.3-month loss in 2020, while Bulgaria saw 5.5 months lost in 2021. Substance abuse and mental health-related deaths rose in some nations, with drug-related deaths increasing in the US and Canada and alcohol-related mortality spiking in Latvia. Conversely, suicide and accident deaths declined in many regions.
Japan and South Korea showed minimal life expectancy losses, though Japan's females saw a rise in suicide mortality. Cancer mortality generally decreased across most countries, suggesting cancer care disruptions were less severe or that COVID-19 deaths in cancer patients were not classified as cancer deaths.
The findings stress the pandemic's lasting effects on mortality, reversing years of cardiovascular health progress. The authors emphasize the need for resilient healthcare systems and targeted public health measures to mitigate these varied impacts. The research was published in Nature Human Behaviour.
