Brookings Podcast on Economic Activity
Why is life expectancy falling faster for adults without a BA?
Oct 12, 2023
Anne Case and Angus Deaton discuss their research on declining life expectancy for adults without a BA. They explore the increasing disparity in life expectancy, rise in deaths of despair, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also analyze the relationship between declining life expectancy and its effects on the labor market, emphasizing the need for alternative pathways to employment.
34:53
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Quick takeaways
- Deaths of despair, such as suicides and drug overdoses, have been increasing among white non-Hispanic Americans without a BA, while mortality rates for this group had previously been declining for over a century.
- The widening mortality gap is influenced by economic factors, including declining wages, limited job opportunities, reduced social connections, and limited access to healthcare, especially for individuals without a BA.
Deep dives
The Mortality Gap and Deaths of Despair
This episode features a discussion with Anne Case and Carol Graham about Anne's paper on the widening mortality gap between American adults with and without a BA. They highlight how deaths of despair (suicides, drug overdoses, alcohol-related diseases) among white non-Hispanic Americans have been increasing, while mortality rates for this group had previously been declining for over a century. The study explores the growing inequality in mortality rates across different education levels.
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