Women born in Connecticut in 2000 are living more than 12 years longer than those born a century earlier, according to a Yale study. That’s well above the national gain and one of the sharpest increases among U.S. states. Men in Connecticut also saw a rise of more than 18 years over the century. By comparison, life expectancy gains in states like Mississippi and West Virginia were far smaller. Researchers point to differences in poverty, health care access, and policy decisions as key reasons for the gap.