Population Well-Being Measures Help Explain Geographic Disparities In Life Expectancy At The County Level

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Epidemiology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Geographic disparities in life expectancy persist and are not fully explained by race or socioeconomic status.
• Identifying additional factors influencing longevity is crucial for developing effective public health policies.
• Population well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and social health, is a potential explanatory factor for these disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between population well-being and geographic variation in life expectancy.
• To determine if well-being mediates the relationship between socioeconomic factors and life expectancy.

Main Methods:

• County-level analysis correlating well-being scores with life expectancy data.
• Statistical controls for race, poverty, and education levels were applied.
• Mediation analysis was used to assess the role of well-being in established associations.

Main Results:

• A positive association was observed between higher well-being scores and increased life expectancy for both females and males.
• For every 1-standard-deviation increase in well-being, life expectancy rose by 1.9 years for females and 2.6 years for males.
• Well-being partially mediated the effects of race, poverty, and education on life expectancy.

Conclusions:

• Population well-being is a significant predictor of geographic differences in life expectancy.
• Well-being is an important metric for population health and longevity, independent of socioeconomic status.
• Enhancing population well-being may be a viable strategy for improving public health outcomes and longevity.