People living in the Southeastern United States die about a decade earlier on average than other Americans. At first glance, natural disasters don’t seem to explain it. Data even suggests that global disaster deaths are going down. But new research reveals a hidden toll that’s been overlooked for decades. And it uncovers what exactly is causing millions of “invisible deaths” in the Southeast.
Rachel Young and Solomon Hsiang Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07945-5
Life Expectancy Map: https://americaninequality.substack.com/p/life-expectancy-and-inequality
Images of 1931 Chinese Floods provided courtesy of the Missionary Society of St. Columban.
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A lot of data and talk to avoid the key issues of poverty and poor health habits, like smoking and drinking. Blaming hurricanes won’t help. The federal government refused for decades to give New Orleans the protection it needed. Why didn’t Louisiana do it? Because there is a federal law, the one that set up the US Corps of Engineers, that says the Corps only is responsible for the nation’s main waterways. Local Corps in NO begged for what their studies showed was needed there. Federal Corps said no. So 3,000 died, not counting those who died slowly over the next few years. Poverty after a hurricane kills. If you had more poverty before the hurricane, then, duh, the hurricane’s devastation will not help.
I could see how and, maybe, why natural disasters would affect this.
Then again, it still doesn't explain that both Hawaii (79-ish) and Puerto Rico (81-ish) also experience similar natural disasters. Hawaii also has volcano explosion and PR has lots of regular earthquakes.
Maybe the blue zone hypothesis?
Um, not a scientist here, but poverty would be my guess. 😂
Reproducing in Third- World conditions
You need to much more clearly label & explain the charts. Also, the longer-term post-disaster deaths deserve a whole video of their own, one that narrates the chains of events that cause the premature deaths.
The reason disasters are less deadly is because capitalism won out over agrarian poverty and provides quick solutions.
Yes, utterly mysterious why people in the poorest region of the country have the shortest life expectancy.
“This sister [the earth] now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.”
Ask this, who are the largest consumers the rich or the poor? The poor also have no ability to purchase water filters, air conditioners, adequate heating, nutritious foods, (our food sources and soil quality have been narrowed or depleted), medicine, mobility to evacuate during harsh weather etc. Nutrition education (advanced education in general).
The divide is rich/poor and it is becoming an epidemic because the middle class is narrowing and therefore, it will probably spread.
If wild fire smoke is eroding air quality why aren’t government officials doing a damned thing about cleaning up the dried debris or spending the money on preventative measures vs. studies?!
Have you compared the restrictions in the Southeast of access to care, even private out of pocket care in Southern Hospital systems. Also if you don't have a permanent address, how do you in the Southeast have access to care.