A new study has found that excess deaths in the United States continue to rise even after the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 1.5 million “missing Americans” in 2022 and 2023 alone. The study, published in JAMA Health Forum, reveals a concerning trend of worsening US mortality rates compared to other high-income countries.
Excess deaths refer to the number of deaths that would have been avoided if the United States had mortality rates similar to those of its peer countries. Between 1980 and 2023, there were approximately 14.7 million excess US deaths relative to what would have been observed in other high-income countries.
The study found that excess deaths among working-age adults are disproportionately affected, with 46% of all US deaths among people under 65 years old being avoidable if the US had the age-specific death rates of its peers. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this trend, but the persistent disparity in US mortality is largely driven by long-running crises such as drug overdose, gun violence, and preventable cardiometabolic deaths.
Experts attribute the country’s failure to address these issues to policy neglect and deep-rooted social and health system failures. “The US has been in a protracted health crisis for decades,” says study lead Dr. Jacob Bor. “Investing in universal healthcare, strong safety nets, and evidence-based public health policies leads to longer, healthier lives.”
However, the researchers warn that the current state of affairs threatens to widen health disparities between the US and other wealthy nations, leading to more avoidable deaths among Americans.
The study’s findings are a stark reminder of the need for policy changes that prioritize population health outcomes and address long-standing social and health system failures.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-excess-deaths-covid-pandemic.html