Widespread declines in life expectancy across high income countries coincide with rising young adult and midlife mortality in the United States

The ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States is a key contributor to the most recent declines in life expectancy, suggests a study published by The BMJ today. A second study shows an increase in US death rates in midlife (people aged between 25-64 years) involving all major racial groups, and cites a broad range of conditions as potential causes. Together, these findings point to an urgent need to examine systemic causes of declining health in the US. -- More...