There's something terribly wrong': Americans are dying young at alarming rates

[Ohiogal]

What the hell is going on here?! Life under trump's rule is my guess!

*****************

Death rates from suicide, drug overdoses, liver disease and dozens of other causes have been rising over the past decade for young and middle-aged adults, driving down overall life expectancy in the United States for three consecutive years, according to a strikingly bleak study published Tuesday that looked at the past six decades of mortality data.

The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was immediately hailed by outside researchers for its comprehensive treatment of a still-enigmatic trend: the reversal of historical patterns in longevity.

Despite spending more on health care than any other country, the United States has seen increasing mortality and falling life expectancy for people ages 25 to 64, who should be in the prime of their lives,while other wealthy nations have generally experienced continued progress in extending longevity. Although earlier research emphasized rising mortality among non-Hispanic whites, the broad trend detailed in this study cuts across gender, racial and ethnic lines. By age group, the highest relative jump in death rates from 2010 to 2017 — 29 percent — has been among people ages 25 to 34.

About a third of the estimated 33,000 “excess deaths” that the study says occurred since 2010 were in just four states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana — the first two of which are critical swing states in presidential elections. The state with the biggest percentage rise in death rates among working-age people in this decade — 23.3 percent — is New Hampshire, the first primary state.

“It’s supposed to be going down, as it is in other countries,” said the lead author of the report, Steven H. Woolf, director emeritus of the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University. “The fact that that number is climbing, there’s something terribly wrong.”

************

Obesity ..... lack of health insurance ..... opioids ...... suicides .....gun violence .... overwhelming economic anxiety .... some of the causes listed here, to name a few.

Very interesting, albeit depressing, read...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/theres-something-terribly-wrong-americans-are-dying-young-at-alarming-rates/2019/11/25/d88b28ec-0d6a-11ea-8397-a955cd542d00_story.html

[captain queeg]

1. Opioid and drug related

I grew up in Ohio still have some family there. Drugs have been behind a couple of young relatives deaths.

[DanieRains]

39. Obesity Too

Gotta have 10,000 calories of sugar and flour a day.

[Nay]

53. Hell, here in VA a friend of a friend's wife died (heart attack) and the widower's neighbors

and friends came by the next day to see if -- she had had any opioids that they could buy from him.

This was all before her funeral.

[shenmue]

2. Opiods. Legalize pot, shitloads of money come in, what's the problem?

[dewsgirl]

4. I know right. Those that are running for president and

not embracing this, I feel are making a huge mistake.

[emmaverybo]

28. Pot is not going to replace opioids. People can get pot now.

[TheFarseer]

59. Not legally in most places

If doctors prescribed marijuana instead of opioids, there would be SO much less opioid use.

[former9thward]

64. Legally in most places.

Only 17 states have not legalized marijuana either recreational or medically. Most of those 17 are in low population states in the south or west. The vast majority of the U.S. population lives where they can get marijuana legally. In the medical states anyone can get a card for virtually any reason.

https://www.governing.com/gov-data/safety-justice/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html

[TheFarseer]

73. Damn, didn't realize it was that many states

Just my backwards ass state and a few others.

[dewsgirl]

3. I have known at least 5 people personally, that have died

from opioids/benzos. I don't know that many people, this is certainly a massive epidimic.

[BigMin28]

5. I know know of two people that have died

From a lack of health care. No opioids or drugs involved. We may have the best health care system in the world, but only if you can afford it.

[FakeNoose]

9. Even if you can afford health care

... it can still bankrupt you and your family, when something catastrophic happens.

[Ohiogal]

27. Absolutely!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. That's a key factor not highlighted (mentioned?) in the report. . . . nt

[Raster]

43. America's best health care system in the world....

...only works for those that can afford it. If you don't have a gold-plated, employer-sponsored health program, or aren't independently wealthy, America's health care system is a joke... a very cruel joke.

[Stuart G]

74. You have mentioned in your post Raster, perhaps the saddest thing about this country:

lack of universal health care. My surgeries in the last few years would have cost over $150,000. Fortunately, I have Medicare and a supplement, which has saved all my savings. I am very lucky.

[at140]

54. Cancer treatment bills are running at $30k/month

Gotta have good health insurance to survive cancer.

[BigMin28]

63. So true

One of the two I know died of cancer at 55. The other, my brother died at 35 of a heart attack. Didn't smoke, exercised. Got up to go to work and he was gone within an hour.

[at140]

69. Sincerely sorry about your brother

35 y.o. is so unfair. But he did his share so is blameless.
One of my co-workers had a heart attack and died at age 37. It was shocking.
I went to his wake, and with his crew cut hair he looked like a very young man.
But life is unpredictable, and we do the best with what comes our way.
Count your blessings, and live every day the best you can.

[Ohiogal]

6. According to the article

"The report reveals a broad erosion in health, with no single “smoking gun,” said Ellen Meara, a professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.

“There’s something more fundamental about how people are feeling at some level — whether it’s economic, whether it’s stress, whether it’s deterioration of family,” she said. “People are feeling worse about themselves and their futures, and that’s leading them to do things that are self-destructive and not promoting health.”

I do believe there's chronic stress over our economic situation and our future, and that leads many folks to destructive behavior. I read recently that something like 44% of all working people in the US in prime working age are making $18,000 a year or less. And these are not "first jobs" or "working through school" type jobs .... these are what people are earning just trying to survive. No wonder there's a giant swath of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness among our citizens.

[The_jackalope]

20. Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome

Stress of all kinds - environmental, social, economic - leads to illnesses of all kinds.

[Hoyt]

21. Although the point is valid, the study actually said 53 million workers

were considered low wage. Those 53 million made less than roughly $32,000 (although some in high cost areas made less than roughly $40,000).

Of that 53 million, 44% made less than $18,000. It’s still a lot of people in the under $18K category, even though some are students, people working for a little extra cash, etc.

The article summarizes a large Brookings study, so the article’s authors had to take some liberties in their presentation.

[KPN]

48. Yup that's 23.3 million workers in America making

$18,000 or less annually. That’ 3 in every 20 workers making less than what a person can live on and afford healthy food and health care, let alone well-being necessities and opportunities like warm, dry and clean shelter; vacations; many forms of outdoor recreation, etc.; and the prospect of retirement.

We are one sick society here in the USA. There is no morally legitimate excuse for the world’s wealthiest nation by every economic measure having this many of its people living under such draconian conditions.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. I live in Indiana.

We're a midwestern "southern state". 'nuff said.

[stopdiggin]

13. worse in KY and TN, but that ain't sayin' much

know what you mean. When I was there the common phrase was, "best little Dixie state north of the Mason Dixon!" And it depended on the speaker .....

[lark]

8. Of the family of 9 down the street, 3 of the boys have died from addictions.

They were 20, 21 and 25 at the time they died. 2 accidentally overdosed and 1 killed himself after robbing a woman and the cops were closing in. He'd stolen a gun from his dad that day. That one gets me the most, although they all hurt so much. The father (horribly) thought it was safe as long as the gun was hidden and there were no bullets. WRONG!

These were our neighbors & friends and one was my sons best friend from the age of 4-22. They had good lives, came from a good family, made decent grades and were loved. 2 had really bad car or motorcycle accidents which is how they became addicted and I blame their doctors and the opioid companies for the national tragedy.

[BeyondGeography]

10. Important info in that article

It’s not just opioids.

The study found that improvements in life expectancy, largely because of lower rates of infant mortality, began to slow in the 1980s, long before the opioid epidemic became a national tragedy.

Thanks for the thread, Ohiogal.

[Ohiogal]

12. This subject is one of utmost importance to me.

My heart breaks for our country that we experience such despair and unhealthy lives. Remember the days when you used to be proud to be an American?

And, in Ohio, infant mortality is among the worst in the country. Yet our gerrymandered Republican state legislators concentrate their efforts on abortion bans and passing laws to ensure public school students they can have religious liberty in science class. The delusion and agenda pushing is mind boggling.

[FakeNoose]

11. Vaping seems like a very bad idea

Originally vaping was supposed to steer young people away from unhealthy tobacco use. But now that vaping has caused so many deaths and serious health problems, it makes me wonder how this ever got approved by the FDA?

[stopdiggin]

14. it didn't. and it doesn't (nt)

[Cal Carpenter]

17. "..so many deaths..."???

Not true at all. Aside from a recent series of (statistically insignificant, but tragic) deaths due to adulterated black-market THC vape liquid (ie something that is not inherent in vaping), and a tiny number of injuries and deaths from exploded vaping devices (mostly modified by the user, against manufacturer advice), vaping is not killing people. It is, however, saving smokers from the potentially fatal harm of smoking tobacco. It is agreed by most health and science experts to be 95% harm reduction from smoking tobacco.

Your post has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, and your claims sound akin to climate change denial in how dangerously incorrect they are.

[Newest Reality]

19. Ah, no...

There is more too the vaping scare. Many studies indicate that it is much less toxic than cigarettes and, overall and so far, it does not contribute to massive health problems and deaths. We have a long ways to go to determine the long-term effects.

Vaping goes way back to around the early 60's. It has been growing in popularity for at least a couple of decades. The current health issues are surrounded by a lot of hysteria and it looks like the culprit is a lack of quality control and adulterants that ARE deleterious to health and this was in regards to THC cartridges, primarily.

It is a big business now, so cutting corners, etc., you know the rest. The vaping fluids should be tested and regulated though, but it is so new, we see little along those lines. There is a very simple formula, (people can make their own, actually) that includes the misting substance and, if for smokers, various strengths of nicotine.

So, vaping is not a factor in regards to the OP, but I guess the news has made it seem to be

[coti]

29. You have serious misconceptions about vaping's impact nt

[Mariana]

41. How many deaths has vaping caused? nt.

[Farmer-Rick]

47. 49 this year.

Not even as high as car accident deaths.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. American white supremacy + American capitalism equals a lot of hurting people.

[Coventina]

16. IMHO, we're starting to see Soviet-style malaise.

Who wants to live under the conditions rapidly developing?

Young people have very little to look forward to.

Quite frankly, I'm glad to be on the downhill slide toward the grave.

[Ohiogal]

26. I really fear for what kind of world

we're leaving our kids, Coventina.

[bdamomma]

81. Our kids

are losing hope...…..all the more reason we have to fight like hell. I don't know what else to say.

[roamer65]

72. I agree...+1000000

[leftyladyfrommo]

18. I have a friend whose son died at 34.

Liver failure from drinking and drugging.

[MontanaMama]

22. My husband is president of a nonprofit organization.

Three members of his board have lost adult children to suicide this year. All between the ages of 23-32.

[yaesu]

23. That something wrong is called republican fascism. nt

[demigoddess]

24. yes, such a thing does not allow hope for the future. Also social

media, allows too much bullying.

[guillaumeb]

30. "Lack of health insurance".

Not an issue in Canada, or all the countries with single payer.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

31. The ladder us low income folks could climb to success has been taken away by....

the oligarchs, plutocrats and their faithful servants - Republicans, Tories in the UK and other right-wing political factions. They have a majority of use right where they want: divided, fearful and economically on edge.

It makes one feel hopeless when we look at such things as:

* the worsening inequality of income and asset ownership around the globe,
* the decline in global public health evaluations and increases in malnutrition,
* worsening addiction to drugs, alcohol and social media,
* increasing xenophobia and racism globally and,
* denial of climate change and any other inconvenient findings of science.........

along with many other serious international problems.

Meanwhile, most Americans are focused on over-stuffing themselves at the Thanksgiving table followed by beer and football, and then.....

Black Friday.

KY rant done..............

[Mike 03]

52. Thanks for mentioning climate.

To me that's the elephant in the room as far as despair goes among many people, probably especially younger people. One has to ask, "What is worth doing?" A lot of traditional goals start to go out the window as we face a foreshortened time horizon and, in a sense, only one thing worth doing... trying to save ourselves in an environment where our leaders are acting like there's no problem.

[hunter]

32. We'll catch up to Russia in no time...

... and make more profits doing it!

MAGA!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_in_Russia

.

.

.

[rainin]

33. Would you mind linking the study? I don't have a subscription to WP.

Scary all around.

[Ohiogal]

34. I don't have a link to the study, sorry!

If you can access your browser's incognito function, you can see the WaPo article, that's what I did, I don't have a WaPo subscription, either.

[rainin]

38. Perfect. I got through using incognito. Thanks!

[dalton99a]

36. You need to create a free account to download the full text:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2019.16932

[JoeOtterbein]

35. K n R ! Thanks for posting!

[Scarsdale]

37. The U.S. might spend more on

health care than other countries BUT it is spent on fewer people. Countries with national health services cover everyone, not just the ones who can afford it. My 45 year old son died because of lack of health insurance, and two weeks later a friend of his died, waiting for his insulin to arrive. It was late.

[Recursion]

40. Interestingly life expectancy rose during the recession and fell during the recovery

This gets to my troubling theory that we do better during economic hard times.

[Farmer-Rick]

49. It was probably because we had Obama and hope.

[Recursion]

66. Life expectancy rose in Obama's first term and fell in his second term (nt)

[Kurt V.]

55. its bc the *recovery* was not equal.

[Recursion]

65. No, it's not that. The recession was much more unequal

It's an interesting theory but if it was inequality the recession would have been worse than the recovery.

[Kurt V.]

67. its not a theory.

[Recursion]

68. Indeed; theories fit the data

The years 2008-2014 saw decreasing real incomes among the poorest 40% of the country and increasing life expectancies. 2014 on saw the fastest increase in real incomes among the poorest 40% since we started keeping records, and decreasing life expectancies.

The problem is not economic. It's something else.

[tishaLA]

42. I'm curious about why CA and WY are exceptions to the rule

I know we've had medicaid expansion in CA so that might account for it, but I don't believe that's the case in WY.

The increases in some states, like ME, NH, VT, WV, OH, SD, and NM are shocking.

[Ohiogal]

45. We had Medicaid expansion here in Ohio.

The opioid epidemic has hit our state hard.

Plus, our infant mortality rate, particularly among the African American community, is one of the highest in the nation.

[Uncle Joe]

44. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread Ohiogal.

[LudwigPastorius]

46. It's the despair factor.

No wonder people are drinking more, drugging more, and offing themselves. They see Trump and his GOP minions fulfilling their policies of raping the planet and wringing the middle class and poor for every cent they have, and they see little point in going on.

I half expect Trump to start a Soviet-style program of cheap subsidized vodka for the masses, just to keep them from grabbing pitchforks and torches and storming Washington.

[appalachiablue]

50. Very disturbing news, thanks. 'Economic anxiety' means what?

Last edited Tue Nov 26, 2019, 09:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Jobs and income instability, student debt loans, credit card, mortgage or medical debt, other? Specifics.

ETA Climate crisis paralysis and despair.

[Yavin4]

51. In the U.S., we make every day life unnecessarily stressful, complex, and expensive.

The average American's daily life is unusually unhealthy both physically and mentally esp. when compared to other developed nations.

[Kurt V.]

56. Important point. Unnecessarily

[Ohiogal]

60. That's a fact!

Just trying to understand my medical bills and then being on the phone the entire morning with those rude or clueless customer service reps .... makes me consider drinking before noon ....

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

83. And people wonder why there's no mass protests

Keep people on an economic knife-edge, where going out to protest could mean losing out on some very needed scraps to stay afloat or possibly entire damn job. Shred the social safety net so people are frightened of taking a risk.

Protesting is a tool of the economically secure and affluent. The oligarchs are more than happy to keep people poor and desperate so they won’t or can’t rise up without dire consequences, and it’s just as effective as gestapo and secret police, but less obvious and visible.

This is why Election Day needs to be a federal holiday for everyone.

[Yavin4]

92. A lot of Americans internalized their stress and pain

That's why you're seeing the overdose deaths. There's a greater chance of suicide if there's a gun in the home.

[NCLefty]

57. Don't forget alcohol.

[loyalsister]

58. "Dying of Whiteness" tracks it in great detail

We need to stop pretending we're on high ground just because we don't vote for republicans. It took several presidencies and decades to get here.

Even on death’s doorstep, Trevor was not angry. In fact, he staunchly supported the stance promoted by his elected officials. “Ain’t no way I would ever support Obamacare or sign up for it,” he told me. “I would rather die.” When I asked him why he felt this way even as he faced severe illness, he explained: “We don’t need any more government in our lives. And in any case, no way I want my tax dollars paying for Mexicans or welfare queens"

http://bostonreview.net/race/jonathan-m-metzl-dying-whiteness

[Throck]

61. In the past 18 months we've had three friends lose kids to suicide

[VOX]

62. Hopelessness, rage, obesity, guns, booze, drugs, crap education, 24/7 disinformation, scapegoating..

If those elements alone defined my life, I don’t think I’d mind stepping off the curb myself.

But they don’t, and I’m still here, goddamnit!

[AncientGeezer]

70. "...have been rising over the past decade"....I read the article

I don't understand this...." Life under trump's rule is my guess!" You article says DECADE....10 yrs

[Stuart G]

71. Very sad indeed. I am familiar with one....Obesity....

..I used to weigh 55 pounds more than now. In the early 80s, I lost those 55 pounds and kept it all off since 82. Sometimes the loss is 60-65 pounds. But I gain a little back. If I had not lost the weight back then, I am sure that I would be dead. Often I want to overeat, but I think of others who have died, and let it go. It ain't easy, but I know the consequences of gaining the weight back.

[roamer65]

75. The average life expectancy needs to decrease in the face of an increasing human population.

That will help in the absence of adequate predators to the human population.

Cold hard biological truth folks.

[AncientGeezer]

79. You realize we..humans... are an apex predator right? Life expentancy will continue to rise...

..as medical advancements, food production increases.
The T Rex isn't coming back in the near future...to eat us.
Humans will always be the dominate species....not everyone is going to die from an OD or suicide....
We always adapt...evolve..and learn...as I said to someone else today....a planet killing asteroid will get us before "we" get us

[roamer65]

89. "We" will eliminate ourselves first.

Either through war, depletion of resources or poisoning of our environment.

Technology will not save us.

[AncientGeezer]

91. Stop...my sides hurt.

We aren't going to deplete resources, we find more constantly.. as tech advancement proceeds.. or poison ourselves..as we learn what to not do to poison ourselves....war....who is going to launch the planet killing nukes?

My god....my ribs hurt from laughing.....asteroid or the Sun goes super nova.....we are way smarter than You think we are

[roamer65]

93. Laugh all you want.

Reality is coming and it will bite you just as hard as everyone else.

[smirkymonkey]

76. I spoke to a friend tonight, who is from a fairly rich family and even has a trust fund, and she

is in despair over what Trump and the republicans are doing. She feels hopeless and depressed. She has always tended toward the depressive side, but if someone like her who has all her basic needs provided for (and yes, she also has a job) feels despair, I can't imagine how it must feel for people who are barely scraping by.

I know a lot of people here will think she has no right to feel depressed because she has money, but she also has feelings. (FYI, she is not one of these rich debutante types, just someone who has a free place to live and some extra spending money.) However all those people who are thrown into emotional and mental despair on top of being in despair over providing for their basic needs - rent, food, health care, basic necessities - must be feeling so much worse. We are a very uncaring, callous society. It's all about survival of the fittest in this nation and anyone who can't cope is considered to be a loser.

I am not buying into this booming economy shit. The economy is only booming for one class of people and it isn't most of us. It's a huge fucking lie. I am squeezed more and more every year. My income is not keeping up with my expenses and it is definitely a huge stressor.

I can understand why so many people are losing motivation and giving up. I am not quite there yet, but it would only take a few major blows for me to be where they are.

[Ohiogal]

77. Life in America is very stressful

and expensive. The economy only works for the 1%. The stock market doesn’t define our economy like many people think it does. It must be so depressing to be a younger person today, you work hard and just can’t get ahead. And every day on the TV you see Donnie Dipshit crowing about what a great job he’s doing for America. No wonder so many young people take solace in drugs, alcohol, overeating, and other destructive behaviors. I’m tempted to drink more, myself! But I try to stay healthy because I have such shitty ass health insurance, I could easily run up a huge bill with just one hospital stay. I pray I can last 3 more years till I get Medicare.

[smirkymonkey]

78. Hey, Ohiogal!

This is one of the things that frustrates me more than anything. Whenever I talk to the republican members of my family they always tell me "Well, the stock market is doing great!" And I tell them that that is because due to the tax cut for corporations and the 1% and that most corporations took that money and bought back shares which reduced the number of shares outstanding therefore drove up the price per share, like it did with my company. Hugely. But I would rather have an honest government than the extra money if this is what it takes to get it.

It is artificial. It is not based upon value. This is all a house of cards that is going to come crashing down sooner or later. And healthcare is a nightmare as well. I remember when I never had to pay a cent for any procedure I had, and now I am being hit up for charges every where I turn. I still have a way to go before SS and Medicare, and I doubt there will be anything left by the time I get there.

To be honest, I am not terribly motivated to be healthy because I don't have a huge incentive to live a long time since I am worried about being able to afford it with a student loan, expensive rent/bills and and increasingly insecure job market. I should try to be healthier for the reasons you mention and I have been very lucky so far in that I am. But I know that things can go south at anytime. And as long as this mofo is in office, the likelihood only increases.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. I am just really getting sick of this bastard.

[Ohiogal]

82. The subject of healthcare

really presses my buttons too. Everyone else in the developed world has figured it out but us.

I hope and pray that very soon we can rid ourselves of this odious cancer called Republicanism and we can have nice things again. So please take care of yourself so I can continue to enjoy reading your posts.

An aside, my sister a couple months ago, was really moaning about turning 65 and being “forced onto Government Health care”. But ever since she found out how much better Medicare is than her crappy workplace insurance, she loves it! Except now she’s one of those “I got mine and the heck with everyone else” people.

[smirkymonkey]

86. Thanks Ohiogal!

I really hope we can get rid of them too, but it always seems like an uphill climb. I'll keep fighting the fight as long as I have it left in me.

Sorry to hear about your sister. I'm glad she got Medicare and all, but it's too bad that she doesn't have more compassion for others. Everyone should have a right to basic healthcare. I really believe that with all my heart.

[Ohiogal]

88. Yes I think most of us here agree

That everyone has a right to good affordable healthcare.

Too bad the party in charge thinks only some of us deserve it and the rest can go crawl off somewhere and die.

[bdamomma]

84. smirkymonkey

this is for you

I think we all feel out of breath, but we need to breathe deep.

[smirkymonkey]

87. Thanks bdamoma!

Good to hear from you!

[TexasBushwhacker]

80. Despair n/t

[Tiggeroshii]

85. I've experienced this anecdotally as well :/

[NickB79]

90. 71% of adults are overweight, and almost 40% are obese

No shit we're dying young.