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New Study Shows Life Expectancy Is Declining In Kentucky

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

A new study showed eight counties in Kentucky have seen the largest decline of life expectancy in the nation over a 34-year period.

Those counties are concentrated in southeastern Kentucky. Owsley County saw the largest drop in life expectancy in the nation, with people living 2.3 less years in 2014 than they did in 1980. The study attributed the decline to poverty, obesity, smoking and a lack of access to health care.

 

Owsley County Judge-Executive, Cale Turner, wasn’t surprised by the findings. He pointed to drug abuse and a historic lack of access to health care to explain the study’s results. The other Kentucky counties that saw huge declines in life expectancy are Lee, Leslie, Breathitt, Clay, Powell, Estill, and Perry.

The study found life expectancy increased nationwide. For men, it went up from 70 years to 76.7. For women, it increased from 77.5 years to 81.5. Researchers noted there are large disparities among counties.

The study examines life expectancy from 1980 to 2014. The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

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