ATLANTA, GA – March 21, 2024 – The CDC recently reported that U.S. life expectancy at birth in 2022 is 77.5 years, about a 1-year increase from 2021. There are fewer deaths from COVID-19, heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and homicides, according to the report. The life expectancy had dropped in 2020 and 2021 due to the large number of COVID-19 deaths and drug overdoses. In 2021, the U.S. life expectancy was 76.4 years, the lowest since 1996. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the life expectancy was 78.8. The peak life expectancy was almost 79 in 2014.

The 10 leading causes of death for 2022 and 2021 are the same, although some of the causes changed ranks. The leading causes of 2022 deaths in the U.S. are heart disease and cancer, and have been since the early 1990’s. COVID-related deaths fell from 3^rd to 4^th, more than a 50% decline from the previous year. Accidents and unintentional injuries like drug overdoses increased from 4^th to 3^rd, although the number of overdose deaths were similar between 2021 and 2022. Over the past 20 years, drug overdose deaths were almost 4 times more frequent.

Rising infant mortality rate, from low-birth-weight newborns, congenital problems, and sudden infant death syndrome, contributed to lowering the life expectancy rate. The infant mortality rate increased by more than 3% between 2021 to 2022.

Life expectancy can be determined from birth and at age 65. Life expectancy at birth for women exceeds men by more than 5 years. The average male lives almost 75 years in 2022; while females live to 80. For persons at age 65, the life expectancy is almost 84, females exceeded males by 3 years.

The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy among large, wealthy countries; however, it spends much more on health care per capita. These countries have life expectancy above 80 years and per capita health care spending from about 40-64% of the U.S.: Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland and Japan.

 

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Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

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CHARLESTON, WV – March 22, 2024 – It is now illegal to smoke in motor vehicles in West Virginia with children present. On March 22^nd, West Virginia became the 12^th state to protect children in motor vehicles from the harms of secondhand smoke. According to the law, persons 16 and under cannot be exposed to a lit tobacco product or someone smoking. Smoking with children present cannot be the main reason that a driver is pulled over. However, lawbreakers can be fined up to $25 if they are stopped for another offense. The other 11 states that prohibit smoking in motor vehicles with children present are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. The age limits vary according to state. North Carolina does not prohibit smoking in motor vehicles with children present.

According to the CDC, exposure to secondhand smoke from burning tobacco products (like cigarettes, cigars, and pipes) can cause nonsmokers to develop illnesses associated with smoking and these can contribute to premature death. Exposure to secondhand smoke occurs when people breathe in smoke from burning tobacco products or from people who exhale while smoking. Any level of exposure can be harmful.

Tobacco smoke contains hundreds of harmful chemicals including about 70 that can cause cancer. Heart disease, stroke, lung disease and reproductive health problems (like low-birth-weight newborns) have been associated with exposure to secondhand smoke. Children are impacted more than adults, including sudden infant death syndrome, lung infections, asthma, and ear infections.

Smoking is prohibited in many indoor spaces, like work, public places, restaurants and bars, in order to protect people from secondhand smoke exposure. According to the CDC, between 2-3 million nonsmokers died from health problems that were caused by exposure to secondhand smoke since 1964. Protecting defenseless children from the harms of secondhand smoke is a good public health policy.

 

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Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

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ASHEVILLE, NC –  April 3, 2024 – Respiratory infections, like COVID-19, influenza and RSV, are characterized by being more prevalent during the winter months. With the recent onset of spring, the winter surge of respiratory infections has passed. However, over the past 3 years, COVID-19 infections have also surged in August. Therefore, the weekly update will continue to report on COVID-19 and restart influenza and RSV updates in the fall.

The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on March 23^rd shows:  

• Hospital admission levels are low in every county in North Carolina, including Buncombe County. They are low in almost 99% of the counties in the U.S. and medium in about 1%. Admissions have decreased in the U.S., North Carolina and Buncombe County from the previous week.
• About 2-3% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 3^rd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina. This is about 1% of all ER visits, the lowest level of 5 groups

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on March 20^th shows:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at a yellow level representing the 3^rd highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 40^th and 60^th percentile relative to the past level measured at the same site.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has decreased from the previous week, between -99% to -10%, the lowest level of 2 groups for a negative rate of change.

 

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Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

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ASHEVILLE, NC –  March 27, 2024 – Respiratory infections, like COVID-19, influenza and RSV, are more prevalent during the winter months. With the recent onset of spring, the winter surge of respiratory infections has passed. However, over the past 3 years, COVID-19 infections have also surged in August. Therefore, the weekly update will continue to report on COVID-19 and restart influenza and RSV updates in the fall.

The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on March 16^th shows:  

• Hospital admission levels are low in every county in North Carolina, including Buncombe County. They are low in more than 98% of the counties in the U.S. and high in less than 1%. Admissions have decreased in the U.S., North Carolina and Buncombe County from the previous week.
• About 2-3% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 3^rd lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina. This is about 1% of all ER visits, the lowest level of 5 groups

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on March 13^th shows:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at an orange level representing the 2^nd highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 60^th and 80^th percentile relative to the past level measured at the same site.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has decreased from the previous week, between -99% to -10%, the lowest level of 2 groups for a negative rate of change.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour