Hypothesizing Upward: U.S. States Contexts and Inequalities in Life Expectancy
In the United States, life expectancy is increasingly being shaped by where we live and how much schooling we have completed. Why? Most speculation has focused on "micro-level" explanations, such as individuals' personal choices and lifestyle behaviors. This presentation will discuss the importance of macro-level explanations, particularly U.S. state policies. Weaving together results from several recent and ongoing studies, this presentation will build the case that the diverging policy contexts of U.S. states-resulting from decades of deregulation, devolution of political authority from federal to state levels, and state preemption laws-have likely played a critical role in the widening inequalities in life expectancy.