Betty L Smith | PubMed Health

PubMed2003

Deaths: preliminary data for 2001.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents preliminary data on deaths for the year 2001 in the United States. U.S. data on deaths are shown by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Death rates for 2001 are based on population estimates consistent with the April 1, 2000, census. Data on life expectancy, leading causes of death, infant mortality, and deaths resulting from September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are also presented. For comparison, this report also presents revised final death rates for 2000, based on populations consistent with the April 1, 2000, census. METHODS: Data in this report are based on a large number of deaths comprising approximately 98 percent of the demographic file and 92 percent of the medical file for all deaths in the United States in 2001. The records are weighted to independent control counts of infant deaths and deaths 1 year and over received in State vital statistics offices for 2001. Unless otherwise indicated, comparisons are made with final data for 2000. For certain causes of death, preliminary data differ from final data because of the truncated nature of the preliminary file. These are, in particular, accidents, homicides, suicides, and respiratory diseases. Populations were produced for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) under a collaborative arrangement with the U.S. Census Bureau. The populations reflect the results of the 2000 census. This census allowed people to report more than one race for themselves and their household members and also separated the category for Asian or Pacific Islander persons into two groups (Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). These changes reflect the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 1997 revisions to the standards for the classification of Federal data on race and ethnicity. Because only one race is currently reported in death certificate data, the 2000 census populations were "bridged" to the single race categories specified in OMB's 1977 guidelines for race and ethnic statistics in Federal reporting, which are still in use in the collection of vital statistics data. RESULTS: The age-adjusted death rate in 2001 for the United States decreased slightly from 869.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 2000 to 855.0 in 2001. For causes of death, declines in age-adjusted death rates occurred for Diseases of heart, Malignant neoplasms, Cerebrovascular diseases, Accidents (unintentional injuries), and Influenza and pneumonia. Age-adjusted death rates also declined for drug-induced deaths between 2000 and 2001. Age-adjusted death rates increased between 2000 and 2001 for the following causes: Alzheimer's disease, Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis, Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease, and Assault (homicide). The increase in homicide was a direct result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The infant mortality rate did not change between 2000 and 2001. Life expectancy at birth rose by 0.2 years to a record high of 77.2 years.

Cause of Death↗

PubMed2002

Deaths: final data for 2000.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2000 data on U.S. deaths and death rates according to demographic and medical characteristics such as age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, marital status, educational attainment, injury at work, State of residence, and cause of death. Trends and patterns in general mortality, life expectancy, and infant and maternal mortality are also described. A previous report presented preliminary mortality data for 2000. METHODS: In 2000 a total of 2,403,351 deaths were reported in the United States. This report presents descriptive tabulations of information reported on the death certificates. Funeral directors, attending physicians, medical examiners, and coroners complete death certificates. Original records are filed in the State registration offices. Statistical information is compiled into a national database through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of death are processed in accordance with the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). RESULTS: The age-adjusted death rate for the United States in 2000 was 872.0 deaths per 100,000 standard population, a decrease of 1.1 percent from the 1999 rate and a record-low historical figure. Life expectancy at birth rose by 0.2 year to a record high of 76.9 years. Considering all deaths, age-specific death rates rose only for those 45-54 years and declined for a number of age groups including those 1-4 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and 85 years and over. Fourteen of the 15 leading causes of death are the same for 1999 and 2000. Heart disease and cancer continued to be the leading and second leading causes of death, accounting for over one-half of all deaths when combined. Aortic aneurysm, which was the 15th leading cause of death in 1999, dropped from the list in 2000 and, in its place, Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids is the 15th leading cause of death. The infant mortality rate reached a record low value of 6.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, declining 2.8 percent from the infant mortality rate in 1999 (7.1 deaths per 1,000 live births). CONCLUSIONS: Generally, mortality continued long-term trends. The slight increase in the age-adjusted death rate that was experienced in 1999 reversed itself in accordance to a longer standing decreasing pattern. Life expectancy increased 0.2 years, and the infant mortality rate decreased statistically to a record low 6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, thus maintaining the steady decline that has characterized it for the past four decades.

Adolescent↗