Rich-Poor Longevity Gap Grows

The disparity in life span for America’s rich and poor has grown significantly in recent years, according to a Brookings Institution report. The study found that for men born in 1950, there was a 14-year difference in the life spans of the top 10 percent and bottom 10 percent of earners, compared with a six-year difference for men born in 1920. For women, the gap more than doubles, from 4.7 years to 13. Many researchers argue that the widening gap in life span is connected to growing income inequality, as poorer Americans are unable to access the same level of care that richer Americans can.