Redistributing wealth more equitably in the United States could increase population-level longevity by up to 2.2 years, according to a new study. The research highlights the significant impact of wealth inequality on survival rates and suggests that policies aimed at reducing this gap could substantially improve overall life expectancy.
The study analyzed data from 35,164 US adults aged 50 and older who participated in the Health and Retirement Study between 1992 and 2018. Researchers found a stark contrast in survival rates between the wealthiest and poorest segments of the population, with those in the highest wealth decile having a 41% lower risk of death compared to those in the lowest decile.
This wealth disparity translated to a 13.5-year difference in survival between the two groups. “Our findings suggest that wealth inequality in the US is associated with significant inequities in survival,” the researchers concluded.
They simulated various wealth redistribution scenarios to estimate potential gains in longevity. A perfectly equal distribution of wealth could potentially increase median life expectancy by 2.2 years, effectively closing the mortality gap between the US and the average of other developed countries.
While the study did not specifically focus on racial disparities, it did account for race and ethnicity in its analysis. Given the well-documented wealth gaps between racial groups in the US, the findings suggest that wealth redistribution policies could have significant implications for reducing health inequities across racial and ethnic lines.
See “Wealth Redistribution to Extend Longevity in the US” (June 29, 2024)