The top three causes of death in the United States are heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19, accounting for more than half of all fatalities (1), according to the CDC. Heart disease and cancer have been at the top of the list for more than a decade, accounting for more than 37% of all deaths in the United States in 2021, according to the most current data available. Since the pandemic began in 2020, COVID-19 has risen to the top of the list.
Shifts in Health Trends: CDC’s Analysis of 2021’s Leading Causes of Death
The CDC released a list of the top ten causes of death, based on data from 2021, the most recent year with complete data. According to a USAFacts study of CDC data, there were 3,464,231 fatalities in the United States that year, a 2.4% increase over 2020 (2).
According to USAFacts, age-adjusted death rates for cancer and heart disease have decreased over the last two decades, however, death rates for Alzheimer’s disease and unintentional injury have nearly doubled between 1999 and 2021.
Top 10 Causes of Death in United States
In 2021, the top ten causes of death accounted for about 75% of all fatalities in the United States.
- 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)
Life Expectancy and Disease Vulnerabilities in the U.S.
Life expectancy is 76.4 years on average. Men born in the United States in 2021 are anticipated to live an average of 73.5 years, while women will live an average of 79.3 years. Men die at a higher rate from cancer and heart disease, whereas women die at a higher rate from Alzheimer’s.
According to USAFacts, Black Americans had higher rates of heart disease and high blood pressure, American Indians or Alaskan Natives had higher rates of unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders had higher rates of diabetes.
References:
- CDC: “Leading Causes of Death.”
- USAFacts: “What are the leading causes of death in the US?” “Do women live longer than men in the US?”
Source: Medindia
