MSMU RSWG 2023 final - Flipbook - Page 27
LIFE EXPECTANCY
FIGURE 14
LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH OF CALIFORNIANS67
WOMEN
83.1
78.4
80.8
2018
83.3
78.4
2019
80.9
MEN
82.0
ALL CALIFORNIANS
76.2
Source: Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention, National Vital
Statistics System
79.0
2020
The drop in life expectancy in 2020 is due to deaths caused by COVID-19. Across the United States,
COVID-19 has played a part in decreasing the life expectancy of women from 81.4 years in 2019, to 79.9
years in 2020, and 79.3 years in 2021.68
The specific leading cause of death depends on age, but heart disease is the number one “killer”
by far of both women and men in California. For young women 15–34 years of age, the top three
leading causes of death in 2020 were accidents, suicide, and cancer.69 Death by disease becomes more
prevalent with increasing age.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Long COVID
While doctors and scientists have a long way to go to fully understand long COVID, its apparent
symptoms are a significant cause for concern, particularly for California women. The California
Commission on the Status of Women and Girls has analyzed CDC data to estimate long COVID rates by
gender, race, and sexual orientation.
Estimated long COVID rates by gender:
• California women: 38%
• California men: 21%
Long COVID rates rise for certain demographics, including for Black women (41.2%), Latinas (42.7%), and
gay/lesbian women (50.7%).70
Breast/cervical cancers
In 2022, the numbers of California women projected to die from cancers specific to women are:71
• 4,700 from female breast cancer
• 1,500 from cancers of the uterus
• 1,400 from ovarian cancer
• 520 from cervical cancers
Staying up to date on recommended vaccines and screenings plays an important role in safeguarding
the health of women. Regular screenings, including a mammogram and a Papanicolaou (PAP) test,
are recommended to increase the probability of early discovery of breast and cervical cancers when
treatment can be more effective and increase the odds of survival. Roughly 80% of California women are
current in these two areas.72
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