Persistent gaps in life expectancy between Black and white Americans have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, this gap has narrowed by nearly 50% in three decades, largely due to improvements among Black Americans, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
the study analyzed data from 1990 to 2018 to compare mortality rates between Black and White Americans, through the lens of place.
They found that in 1990, Black Americans lived seven years fewer than whites. But by 2018, that number dropped to 3.6 years.
Within Europe, even relatively poor countries like Portugal, were able to catch up with richer countries by 2018 in terms of life expectancy, while the United States lagged behind.
— source Princeton School of Public and International Affairs | Sep 28, 2021