Life Expectancy Slips in Poor Parts of America

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TurningPoints/story?id=4700405&page=1

New Study Shows Drop in Life Expectancy in Deep South, Parts of Midwest, Texas and Appalachia, Particularly for Women
April 22, 2008

A new nationwide study shows that depending on where you live, your life expectancy could actually be getting shorter, especially if you're a woman.

"One out of five American women have had their health either getting worse or at best not getting better," said Dr. Majid Ezzati of the Harvard School of Public Health.

The joint Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington study found that 4 percent of the male population and 19 percent of the female population experienced either decline or stagnation in mortality beginning in the 1980s.

Researchers say it comes down to preventable diseases and lagging public health care. The downward trend of life expectancy was most pronounced in just a few parts of the country, including the deep South, the southern portion of the Midwest, parts of Texas and Appalachia.

In these parts of the country, doctors say they're finding alarming increases in cancer, diabetes, heart and lung disease.