A new report from the Australian National University (ANU) indicates that Australia has made progress in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy, with the gap stopping widening before the Covid pandemic. However, significant disparities remain: men in the most disadvantaged areas still die almost seven years earlier (6.6 years) and women 4.9 years earlier than those in affluent areas. Major contributing causes of death include lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, suicide, road traffic injuries, and substance-related deaths.
Australia’s life expectancy gap narrows but men in disadvantaged areas dying almost seven years earlier
InequalityLife expectancyHealthAustraliaMen's healthWomen's health
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A new report from the Australian National University (ANU) indicates that Australia has made progress in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy, with the gap stopping widening before the Covid pandemic. However, significant disparities remain: men in the most disadvantaged areas still die almost seven years earlier (6.6 years) and women 4.9 years earlier than those in affluent areas. Major contributing causes of death include lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, suicide, road traffic injuries, and substance-related deaths.
Trending- 1 Many decades before 2017-2018: Inequalities in life expectancy increased in Australia.
- 2 2017-2018: Inequalities in life expectancy peaked.
- 3 Since 2017-2018: A positive trend toward narrowing these disparities has been observed.
- 4 2020-2022: Life expectancies in the most disadvantaged areas were 4.9 years (females) and 6.6 years (males) shorter than in affluent areas.
- 5 July 1, 2025: The report from the Australian National University is published.
- Continued monitoring of health inequalities is crucial for improving population health and informing effective policy.
- Highlights the need for targeted interventions to address major causes of death contributing to the life expectancy gap, such as smoking-related diseases and external causes.
What: A new report found that Australia has made progress in narrowing socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy, but significant gaps persist, with men in disadvantaged areas dying almost seven years earlier than those in affluent areas.
When: Inequalities in life expectancy peaked in 2017-2018. A positive trend toward narrowing disparities has been observed since then, including during the pandemic. The study covers the period of 2020-2022. The report was published on July 1, 2025.
Where: Australia, with comparisons made to national averages in Japan and the United States.
Why: The research aims to monitor health inequalities to improve population health and inform effective policy, highlighting persistent disparities despite overall progress.
How: Researchers from the Australian National University conducted a study comparing life expectancy in Australian socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged areas, analyzing major causes of death contributing to the gaps.