A new study finds global life expectancy declined by 1.6 years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study, an update to the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, presents alarming mortality rates among people aged over 15 years, with a 22 per cent increase for males and 17 per cent for females between 2019 and 2021. 

“For adults worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a more profound impact than any event seen in half a century, including conflicts and natural disasters,” says Dr Austin Schumacher from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

Australia is among just 32 countries where an increase in life expectancy was observed during COVID-19, albeit by a slim 0.01 per cent. 

New Zealand featured as a country with one of the lowest age-adjusted excess mortalities during the pandemic.

Regions like Mexico City, Peru, and Bolivia saw the most significant drops in life expectancy, while Jordan and Nicaragua saw high excess mortality rates not previously reported. 

The South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo were identified as having some of the highest age-adjusted excess mortality rates globally.

Amid the grim findings, the study suggests there has been a continued decline in child mortality rates. 

Despite the pandemic, there were half a million fewer deaths among children under 5 in 2021 compared to 2019 - a 7 per cent decrease. 

Dr Hmwe Hmwe Kyu, also at IHME, says the pandemic did not reverse global progress on child mortality over the past 72 years, with rates continuing to drop.

“Our study suggests that, even after taking stock of the terrible loss of lives the world experienced due to the pandemic, we have made incredible progress,” Dr Kyu said. 

“Now, continuing to build on our successes, while preparing for the next pandemic and addressing the vast disparities in health across countries, should be our greatest focuses.”

The study also explored population trends, noting a slowdown in global population growth and an acceleration of population declines during the pandemic. 

As of 2021, 56 countries are estimated to have reached peak population. 

“Slowing population growth and ageing populations, along with the concentration of future population growth shifting to poorer locations with worse health outcomes, will bring about unprecedented social, economic, and political challenges, such as labour shortages in areas where younger populations are shrinking and resource scarcity in places where population size continues to expand rapidly,” says Dr Schumacher.

“This is worth restating, as these issues will require significant policy forethought to address in the affected regions.”