Death rates are on the rise for young and middle-aged American adults, according to a study published July 23 by the CDC and reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Among younger adults ages 25-44, the death rate rose 21 percent for whites and blacks and 13 percent for Hispanics between 2012 and 2017. Most died of injuries such as drug overdoses, suicides, homicides and heavy use of alcohol.
Among middle-aged adults ages 45-64, death rates rose by 6.9 percent for whites and 4.2 percent for blacks. The Hispanic death rate in this cohort did not change significantly.
The analysis further illuminates negative health trends across the U.S., where the opioid epidemic and heart disease are decreasing life expectancy.
Death rates have declined overall for the general population, but the decline is slowing. Hispanics have typically had lower death rates than blacks and whites in the U.S., but the opioid epidemic is curbing that trend among younger Hispanics. In contrast, older Hispanics, many of whom are foreign-born, have remained healthier.