Answer: 2.0 years
Explanation:
NOTE:
17% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, while 83% in urban areas.
During the past 40 years, there is a consistent overall increase in U.S. life expectancy from 70.8 years in 1970 to 78.7 years in 2010. However, a decade ago, a study reveals the rural-urban gap widening from 0.4 years in 1969 through 1971 to 2.0 years in 2005 through 2009.
Study showed that 70% of the overall rural-urban gap in life expectancy and 54% of the life expectancy gap between the urban rich and rural poor in 2005 to 2009 are caused by accidents, cardiovascular disease, COPD and lung cancer.
A combination of factors likely accounts for this disparity. Compared to urban areas, rural areas have higher rates of both smoking and lung cancer, plus obesity, yet reduced access to health care services. Also, rural dwellers have a very low median family income, higher poverty rate and very few have college degrees.
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