Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases a list of the leading causes of death among U.S. adults. USA FACTS, a Washington-based nonprofit that compiles and reports on government data, took a deep dive into the latest data to identify any trends. In the year 2021, there were a total of 3.46 million deaths, and 74.5% of these deaths were attributed to 10 causes, according to a press release from USA FACTS. The top three causes of death were heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19, accounting for more than half of the mortalities. Although death rates have been declining for cancer and heart disease over the last 20 years.
Here are the top 10 causes of death in 2021:
– Heart disease: 695,547
– Cancer: 605,213
– COVID-19: 416,893
– Accidents: 224,935
– Stroke: 162,890
– Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 142,342
– Alzheimer’s disease: 119,399
– Diabetes: 103,294
– Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis: 56,585
– Kidney disease: 54,358
The age-adjusted death rate has decreased for six of these causes between 1999 and 2021, with the sharpest declines seen for influenza and pneumonia (-55.3%), heart disease (-34.8%), and strokes (-33.3%), according to the report. However, not all causes of death have declined. Alzheimer’s disease deaths rose by 88%, while unintentional injury deaths rose 83% over the same period.
Overall, deaths rose 2.4% since the prior year, going from 3.38 million in 2020 to 3.46 million in 2021. Other causes of death may also factor into the rising death toll of 2021, including suicide and violent crimes, which have been on the rise in recent years.
Certain demographic groups have higher mortality rates for specific causes of death. For example, people aged 85 and older have the highest mortality rate across 14 of the 16 leading causes of death. Men have a higher mortality rate than women for most causes of death, with heart disease being the leading cause of death among U.S. adults in 2021.
There are also disparities among races and ethnicities. Black or African American individuals have higher rates of heart disease and hypertension. American Indians or Alaskan Natives are more likely to have unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and diabetes. Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders have a higher occurrence of diabetes.
The CDC’s mortality cause data suggests that the overall health of the United States is in bad shape, mentally and physically. With nearly 75% of Americans categorized as overweight or obese, obesity is considered a gateway disease to other age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
If adjustments are not made, the life expectancy of Americans may continue to decline. Despite access to advanced technology and innovations, the nation’s health continues to falter. This calls for change.
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