Australia’s life expectancy gap narrows but men in disadvantaged areas dying almost seven years earlier

Major causes of death contributing to inequality are lung cancer, respiratory illness and heart disease, ANU researchers say

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Australia has made progress in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in life expectancy but men living in disadvantaged areas are still dying almost seven years earlier, a new report from the Australian National University has found.

The study’s lead author and ANU demographer, Sergey Timonin, said the gaps in life expectancy between the most advantaged and disadvantaged areas stopped widening just before the Covid pandemic began and did not significantly worsen during the lockdown years.

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