The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has announced the release of 2022 and preliminary 2023 data that indicate notable improvements in health and mortality among Philadelphians.
Newly released findings include:
Declines in COVID-19 deaths
COVID-19 has dropped to the thirteenth most common cause of death, mirroring national declines in COVID-19 deaths.
Increases in life expectancy
From a low of 73.2 years in 2020, life expectancy has increased to 76.2 years, returning close to pre-pandemic levels (76.7 years). However, disparities in life expectancy by race/ethnicity persisted, with non-Hispanic Black men experiencing the lowest life expectancy of any demographic group (67.5 years).
Declines in homicide and overdose deaths
Deaths due to homicide and unintentional drug overdose spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic — peaking in 2021 and 2022, respectively — then declined in 2023. These causes significantly contribute to early death among Philadelphians and disproportionately impact non-Hispanic Black men.
“These new findings are good news for Philadelphia,” said Dr. Megan Todd, chief epidemiologist at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. “The rebound in life expectancy suggests that we are recovering from the negative health impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Although life expectancy has improved and deaths due to homicide and unintentional drug overdose have declined, Philadelphia is still facing serious public health crises.
“Too many Philadelphians continue to die from overdoses, violence, and chronic disease – issues that have threatened the city since long before COVID-19,” Todd said. “And the impact of these deaths is far from equal. Structural factors like poverty and racism mean that race, ethnicity, and neighborhood still dictate who bears the heaviest burden.”
The Health Department released the 2022 and preliminary 2023 data on PhilaStats, an interactive vital statistics dashboard.
First published in May 2022, PhilaStats tracks trends in births, deaths, and population size over time, and by characteristics like age, neighborhood, and race/ethnicity. To help interpret vital statistics in context, PhilaStats shows maps of birth and death outcomes alongside maps of social factors that impact health, like poverty, access to health insurance, and unemployment. The dashboard aims to make vital statistics broadly accessible to community groups, journalists, researchers, and other members of the public.
PhilaStats will continue to be updated as new data becomes available. Note that preliminary estimates are subject to change as data are finalized.
PhilaStats can be accessed at: https://philadelphiapublichealth.shinyapps.io/philastats/.
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