Study: Life expectancy in India can reduce by 2 years due to covid

The COVID-19 epidemic, which has affected individuals all over the world, has also resulted in an almost two-year decline in life expectancy in India, according to a statistical analysis conducted by scientists at the city's International Institute for Population Studies (IIPS).

The study, which highlights the decrease in life expectancy at birth in both men and women as a result of the pandemic, was recently published in the journal 'BMC Public Health.' The report was written by Suryakant Yadav, an IIPS professor.

"In 2019, men had a life expectancy of 69.5 years and women had a life expectancy of 72 years," according to the research, "which fell to 67.5 years and 69.8 years, respectively, in 2020."

The average number of years a newborn is projected to live if mortality patterns at the time of birth remain constant in the future is used to calculate life expectancy at birth.

Professor Yadav's research also looked at a component called 'length of life inequality,' and discovered that COVID-19 killed the most men between the ages of 39 and 69.

"The 35-79 age group had excess deaths caused by COVID-19 in 2020 as compared to normal years and it is this group that has contributed immensely to the drop," Ms Yadav said.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 on mortality patterns in the country.

 "Every time we are affected with some epidemic, the life expectancy at birth figures dwindle. For instance, after the HIV-AIDS epidemic in African nations, the expectancy had dropped. Once it was brought under control, the life expectancy recouped as well." stated Dr. KS James, the director of the IIPS