Curated Report: Common Ground Health “Spotlight: The Decline in Life Expectancy in the Finger Lakes Region, 2013-2021”

In December 2023, Common Ground Health published a report on the trends in life expectancy in our region. Life expectancy is widely regarded as an indicator of equity. In fact, the National Equity Atlas lists life expectancy as an indicator of race inequity. 

The Common Ground report highlights a decline in life expectancy of 3 years from 2013 to 2021, as well as the connection of racial and socioeconomic inequities to the life expectancy decline. Common Ground also points to drug overdose, homicide, heart disease, and COVID-19 as explanations for the decreased life expectancy in the region.