The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report, published in *The Lancet* and presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin, shows that the global mortality rate has fallen by 67 percent since 1950, despite population growth and aging. Analyzing data from 204 countries and territories, plus 660 subnational locations, the study covers the period from 1990 to 2023. Global life expectancy has rebounded to pre‑pandemic levels, rising by more than 20 years since 1950 to 76.3 years for females and 71.5 years for males. However, regional disparities remain stark: life expectancy ranges from 83 years in high‑income regions to 62 years in sub‑Saharan Africa.
The report highlights an emerging crisis of rising mortality among adolescents and young adults. In North and Latin America, suicide and substance use are driving the increase, while in sub‑Saharan Africa infectious diseases and unintentional injuries are the main contributors. Between 2011 and 2023, the greatest rise in deaths occurred among 20‑ to 39‑year‑olds in high‑income North America, largely due to suicide, drug overdose, and excessive alcohol use. Deaths among 5‑ to 19‑year‑olds also increased in Eastern Europe, high‑income North America, and the Caribbean during the same period.
Geographic inequities in mean age at death are pronounced, with the highest mean age of death in high‑income regions and the lowest in sub‑Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, fewer people are dying now than in 1990, and the age‑standardized mortality rate fell from 1,722.41 deaths per 100,000 in 1990 to 1,085.19 in 2023.
While tremendous progress has been made in reducing infectious diseases and injuries, cuts to development assistance for health threaten these gains. Led by Dr. Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the study stresses that many low‑resource countries need better access to prevention and treatment for non‑communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for nearly two‑thirds of global deaths and disability—primarily ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Mental‑health disorders are also rising, with anxiety and depression increasing death and disability by 63 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
The findings underscore the urgency of continued efforts to close health disparities, improve worldwide access to care, prioritize NCD prevention and treatment, and address the growing mortality crisis among adolescents and young adults.
Comments are closed for this story.