According to the latest survey statistics from The New York Times, New Yorkers, who previously had a lifespan below the national average, have now surpassed the national average by 1.9 years. The report attributes the longer lifespan of New Yorkers to a decrease in diseases caused by AIDS, homicides, and smoking, while also noting a significant increase in immigration.
A report from the Population Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania states that the life expectancy of New Yorkers has long been below the national average. However, since 1990, the life expectancy of women in New York City has increased by 6.3 years, and for men, it has increased by 10.5 years. According to the latest statistics, the life expectancy for women in New York City in 2010 was 83 years, while for men it was 78 years.
The authors of the report, demography and sociology professor Preston and sociology professor Elo, used federal health and mortality data to measure the main factors contributing to the increase in life expectancy in New York City. They found that the sharp decrease in deaths from AIDS and homicides accounted for 33% of the increase in lifespan, while reductions in drug and alcohol abuse contributed 15%, immigration accounted for 10%, and a decrease in smoking-related diseases contributed 5%.
Epidemiologist Habb from McGill University in Montreal described the magnitude of this change as shocking. The contribution of immigrants was unexpected, as the current advantage of New Yorkers living 2 years longer than the national average primarily comes from immigrants.
Reports indicate that as of 2010, 38% of New Yorkers were born abroad, compared to 29% in 1990.
Researchers found that foreign-born New Yorkers had lower mortality rates than local residents across 16 major indicators.