Right before the pandemic began, life expectancy was78.8 years.
Provisional data fromearlier this yearpredicted a slightly more dramatic drop for a life expectancy of 76.1 years.
Disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic are thought to be contributors to a decreasing life span.
And not just from the virus, which by itself was the third-leading cause of death last year.
Liver damage can also be resulting from health conditions such as hepatitis.
Deaths from liver disease and cirrhosis rose 9% from 2020 to 2021, per the report.
Death rates increased for people of all ages, except children under age 1, according to the report.
Death rates increased for all other race groups and sexes.
Women continued to have a longer life expectancy in 2021 (79.3 years) than men (73.5).
