The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality rates from other causes has been revealed.

Researchers found that in 2020, the average life expectancy decreased in all countries except for four out of the 24 included in the study, with the United States experiencing the most significant decline—by 2.1 years for men. In 2021, life expectancy further decreased in most countries, with the largest losses—over two years—reported among women in Bulgaria and men in Latvia.

The lead author of the study, Antonino Polizzi from the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, stated: “This research examines the direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality worldwide, emphasizing that by 2022, in several countries, life expectancy had still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.”

The study revealed that, aside from deaths from COVID-19, a primary reason for the reduction in life expectancy during the first two years of the pandemic, particularly in Russia and Eastern Europe, was an increase in mortality associated with cardiovascular diseases.

In 2020, cardiovascular disease-related mortality was highest in Russia (life expectancy decreased by 5.3 months). In 2021, life expectancy in Bulgaria fell by 5.5 months due to cardiovascular diseases. The authors suggest that this may have occurred due to shortcomings in the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases or underreporting of COVID-19 deaths.

Co-author Professor Jennifer Dowd, Deputy Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the Oxford Department of Demography, stated: “The pandemic has undone years of progress in reducing mortality from cardiovascular diseases in several countries, which had been one of the largest contributors to increased life expectancy during 2015-2019. The losses continued into 2022.”

The study also identified a rise in mortality due to substance abuse and mental disorders in some countries during the pandemic. In the United States and Canada, drug-related mortality continued to rise, contributing to a decrease in life expectancy. Alcohol-related mortality also increased, with significant reductions in life expectancy observed in Latvia. However, mortality from suicides and accidents generally decreased during the pandemic years.

Japan and South Korea experienced minimal reductions in life expectancy during the pandemic and became exceptions to most of these trends. However, in Japan, there were relatively high suicide rates among women in 2020.

The conclusion of the study emphasizes the need for robust healthcare systems capable of managing crises without compromising treatment for other diseases. It also highlights the importance of targeted public health interventions to address various impacts across different countries and age groups.

Co-author Dr. José Manuel Aburto, a demographer at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, remarked: “This study underscores the extent of COVID-19's impact on other causes of death and the necessity of analyzing various diseases and causes of death in a post-pandemic context to identify factors that can improve global healthcare systems.”