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Life Expectancy Continues to Increase, Men Gaining on Women

Heart disease and cancer continue to be the primary killers, Alzheimer’s continues to grow

Nov. 29, 2004 – The final report on deaths in 2002 shows life expectancy at birth rose by 0.1-year to a record high of 77.3 years and death rates decreased for all age groups except those under one-year-old. Although life expectancy continued to increase for men and women, men are gaining on the women. This report by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control presents the final national mortality statistics for 2002.

The age-adjusted death rate for the United States in 2002 was 845.3 deaths per 100,000 standard population, representing a decrease of 1.1 percent from the 2001 rate and a record-low historical figure.

The 15 leading causes of death in 2002 remained the same as in 2001. Heart disease and cancer continued to be the leading and second leading causes of death, together accounting for over half of all deaths.

Generally, mortality patterns in 2002 were consistent with long-term trends -Life expectancy in 2002 increased again to a new record level and the age-adjusted death rate declined to a record low historical figure.

However, the infant mortality rate increased in 2002. The infant mortality rate has either decreased or remained level each successive year through 2001 since 1958.

This report, released in October, presents detailed data on deaths and death rates according to a number of social, demographic, and medical characteristics. These data provide information on mortality patterns among Americans by such variables as age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, marital status, educational attainment, injury at work, State of residence, and cause of death. Information on these mortality patterns is important for understanding changes in the health and well-being of the U.S. population. Separate companion reports present additional details on leading causes of death, injury-related deaths, and life expectancy in the

Highlights - Mortality experience in 2002

+ In 2002 a total of 2,443,387 deaths occurred in the United States.

+ The age-adjusted death rate, which eliminates the effects of the aging of the population, was 845.3 deaths per 100,000 U.S. standard population.

+ Life expectancy at birth was 77.3 years.

+ The 15 leading causes of death in 2002 were as follows:

    > Diseases of heart (heart disease)

    > Malignant neoplasms (cancer)

    > Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke)

    > Chronic lower respiratory diseases

    > Accidents (unintentional injuries)

    > Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)

    > Influenza and pneumonia

    > Alzheimer’s disease

    > Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease)

    > Septicemia

    > Intentional self-harm (suicide)

    > Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis

    > Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (hypertension)

    > Assault (homicide)

    > Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids

+ In 2002 the infant mortality rate was 7.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Trends

+ The age-adjusted death rate in 2002 for the United States reached a record low.

+ Life expectancy was 77.3 years, a record high that surpassed the previous highest value, recorded in 2001. Record high life expectancy was attained by the total population, as well as by the black and white populations. Both males and females in each of the two major race groups attained record high levels.

+ Age-adjusted death rates decreased from 2001 to 2002 for 4 of the 15 leading causes of death and increased for 7 of the 15 leading causes of death. Decreasing trends for heart disease, cancer, and stroke, the three leading causes, continued.

+ Increasing trends for Alzheimer’s disease continued.

+ Differences in mortality between men and women continued to narrow. The age-adjusted death rate for men was 42 percent greater than that for women (down from 43 percent greater in 2001), and life expectancy for men was shorter than that for women by 5.4 years, unchanged from 2001 but still at the lowest level recorded.

+ Differences in mortality between the black and white populations persisted even though there was a trend toward convergence. The age-adjusted death rate was 1.3 times greater, the infant mortality rate 2.5 times greater, and maternal mortality rate 4.2 times greater for the black population than that for the white population. Life expectancy for the white population exceeded that for the black population by 5.4 years.

+ The age-adjusted death rate due to poisonings increased by 17.9 percent from 2001 to 2002.

+ Between 2001 and 2002 the age-adjusted death rate for drug-induced causes increased 18.4 percent.

+ Infant mortality rate increased for the first time in over four decades in 2002.

Number of deaths and death rates, by age, and sex: United States, 2002

Rates per 100,000 population in specified group. Populations used for computing death rates are postcensal estimates based on the 2000 census, estimated as of July 1, 2002.

For a pdf copy of the entire report – Click Here

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