The average U.S. life expectancy has fallen by more than two years in 2020 and 2021, according to a new study, not yet peer-reviewed.

By the numbers: There was a historically high drop in estimated life expectancy in 2020, from about 78.9 years in 2019 to 77 years in 2020, a fall of 1.9 years, the study led by the University of Colorado Boulder found.

Life expectancy dropped by another 0.4 of a year in 2021, they found, leading to a net loss of 2.26 years over the two-year period.

In comparison, a collection of 19 peer countries averaged a 0.4-year decrease in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020 and a 0.28-year increase between 2020 and 2021, with a net loss of 0.3 years over the two-year period.

The GOUSA has been considered “disadvantaged” compared to peers for decades. The simplest reason in my experience was the wave of advances in public health after World War 2 … especially affordable or even no cost access to essential health care. Many American politicians promised upgrades in our healthcare equivalent to the wave affecting millions of citizens of other nations after the war. Promises never kept.