Gains Made, but U.S. Still Lags in Life Expectancy

Americans are living longer, but that longevity includes more aches, pains, and disability compared with comparably wealthy nations, a study of population health in 34 countries found.

The overall life expectancy in the U.S. increased from 75 to 78 years during the period of 1990 to 2010, but with an increase in expected years lost to disability (9.4 to 10.1 years), according to Christopher Murray, MD, DPhil, of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle.