How World Region of Residence Predicts Life Expectancy

Because of the inherent differences between world regions, their populations have different life expectancies. The World Bank is an international financial institution that divides world regions based on a combination of factors such as geographic location, income level and cultural affiliation 1. Because those factors have impacts on life expectancy, the World Bank regions in itself, is a relevant factor that predicts life expectancy. Namely, the World Bank regions are: 

  • East Asia and Pacific
  • Europe and Central Asia
  • Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Middle East and North Africa
  • South Asia
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • North America

Below are the specific factors that explain the disparity in life expectancy between world regions.

Communicable Diseases

Communicable diseases, also known as infectious diseases or transmissible diseases, are illnesses that result from the presence and growth of pathogenic biologic agents like viruses, bacteria or fungi, that spreads from one person to another. Some regions like Sub-Saharan Africa have a higher prevalence of communicable diseases than other world regions. The factors that contribute to the higher prevalence and burden of communicable diseases are: 

  • Poverty: People living in poverty often lack access to clean water, adequate nutrition and basic healthcare, which increases their susceptibility to communicable diseases.
  • Poor sanitation: Lack of access to safe sanitation facilities leads to the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A.
  • Crowded living conditions: Overcrowding facilitates the transmission of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, measles and influenza.
  • Limited access to healthcare: Lack of access to medical care makes it difficult to diagnose, prevent and treat communicable diseases.
  • Climate and environment: Warm and humid environments are breeding grounds for insects, some of which can spread vector-borne diseases such as malaria or dengue fever.
  • Cultural practices: Certain cultural practices contribute to the spread of communicable diseases. For example, funeral and burial practices that fail to properly isolate dead bodies generally lead to the spread of diseases. Another example is inadequate food handling which invariably leads to the spread of communicable diseases.
  • Conflict and displacement: Disruption of healthcare systems and displacement of populations due to conflict increases the risk of communicable disease outbreaks.

Non-Communicable Diseases

Non-communicable diseases, also known as chronic diseases, do not spread from one person to another. They originate within a person and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors. All other World bank regions other than Sub-Saharan Africa (North America, East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia) are more affected by non-communicable diseases. The factors that contribute to the higher prevalence and burden of non-communicable diseases are: 

  • Longer lifespan: The longer people live, the more likely they are to die from diseases that are developing slowly and manifest later in life like Alzheimer disease, Chronic lower respiratory diseases, cancer and Kidney diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Aging populations: Declining birth rates and modern healthcare leads to aging populations that have higher risks of developing non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes increases.
  • Urbanization: Urbanization is associated with certain lifestyles that increase the risk of certain non-communicable diseases. For example, the virtual workspace that exists in urban societies encourages sedentary lifestyle which is associated with a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. Also, fast food and highly processed foods are more available in urban areas and are associated with a higher prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Air Pollution: Urban areas tend to have higher levels of air pollution than rural areas because they have higher levels of traffic, industry and energy use which release pollutants into the air. Urban areas also have less vegetation that helps clear pollutants which have significant health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Sub-Saharan Africa

The leading causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa include infectious and parasitic diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Other major causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa include maternal and neonatal conditions, malnutrition and non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Most of those conditions are preventable and treatable with adequate healthcare resources. Unfortunately, those are limited and difficult to access in sub-Saharan Africa. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Lower respiratory infections
  2. HIV/AIDS
  3. Diarrheal diseases
  4. Malaria
  5. Stroke
  6. Ischemic heart disease
  7. Tuberculosis
  8. Neonatal disorders
  9. Preterm birth complications
  10. Road injuries

North America

In North America, the primary causes of death are cardiovascular diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. Communicable diseases such as influenza and pneumonia also contribute to a significant proportion of deaths in North America. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Lung cancer
  3. Stroke
  4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  5. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
  6. Colorectal cancer
  7. Breast cancer
  8. Pancreatic cancer
  9. Prostate cancer
  10. Diabetes mellitus

East Asia and Pacific

In East Asia and Pacific region, the primary causes of death are cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, as well as neonatal disorders, still pose a significant health burden in some parts of East Asia and Pacific. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Stroke
  3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  4. Lung cancer
  5. Liver cancer
  6. Lower respiratory infections
  7. Colorectal cancer
  8. Diabetes mellitus
  9. Road injuries
  10. Stomach cancer

Europe and Central Asia

In the Europe and Central Asia region, the primary causes of death are NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory diseases. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS also contribute to a significant proportion of deaths in Europe and Central Asia. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Stroke
  3. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
  4. Lower respiratory infections
  5. Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers
  6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  7. Colorectal cancer
  8. Breast cancer
  9. Pancreatic cancer
  10. Prostate cancer

Latin America and Caribbean

In the Latin America and Caribbean region, the primary causes of death are NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria also contribute to a significant proportion of deaths in some parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Stroke
  3. Lower respiratory infections
  4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  5. Diabetes mellitus
  6. Liver cancer
  7. Hypertensive heart disease
  8. Stomach cancer
  9. Kidney disease
  10. Colon and rectum cancer

Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa region, the primary causes of death is non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C contribute to a significant proportion of deaths in Middle East and North Africa. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Stroke
  3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  4. Lower respiratory infections
  5. Diabetes mellitus
  6. Kidney disease
  7. Breast cancer
  8. Road injuries
  9. Hypertensive heart disease
  10. Colorectal cancer

South Asia

In the South Asia region, the primary causes of death are cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria also contribute a significant proportion of death in South Asia, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children and people living in poverty. Maternal and neonatal conditions, malnutrition and injuries from accidents and violence are also major causes of death in South Asia. The top ten leading causes of death in the region are:

  1. Ischemic heart disease
  2. Stroke
  3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  4. Lower respiratory infections
  5. Neonatal encephalopathy
  6. Diarrheal diseases
  7. Tuberculosis
  8. Preterm birth complications
  9. Road injuries
  10. Diabetes mellitus

Closing Remarks

Predicting life expectancy is complex and needs to take many factors into consideration. Youlldie allows to visualize how world regions interacts with other factors like gender, race, world region, income, education, alcohol, tobacco, physical activity, sleep, blood pressure, body mass index and family history to statistically predict life expectancy.

References

  1. Gameon JA, Skewes MC. A Systematic Review of Trauma Interventions in Native Communities. Am J Community Psychol. 2020 Mar;65(1-2):223-241. doi: 10.1002/ajcp.12396. Epub 2019 Sep 13. PMID: 31518009; PMCID: PMC7243818. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7243818/