The New Record for U.S. Life Expectancy
The National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its report on life expectancy the end of February 2006. The good news for Americans is that life expectancy has reached an all time high. Using data compiled from 93% of state death certificates in 2003, statisticians have determined the average life expectancy was 77.6, which is increased from 77.3 in 2002. While this may seem like a small change, it is quite significant in only one year.
Other findings cited in the report included:
1. The preliminary age-adjusted death rate in the U.S. reached an all-time low in 2003 of 831.2 deaths per 100,000 population.
2. Age-adjusted death rates declined for eight of the 15 leading causes of death. Declines were seen for heart disease (down 3.6 percent) and cancer (down 2.2 percent), the two leading causes of death which account for more than half of all deaths in the United States each year. Declines were also documented for stroke (4.6 percent), suicide (3.7 percent), flu/pneumonia (3.1 percent), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (2.1 percent), and accidents/unintentional injuries (2.2. percent).
3. After the first infant mortality rate increase in 44 years in 2002, the rate for 2003 did not change significantly (6.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2003 compared to a rate of 7.0 per 1,000 in 2002.)
4. Firearm mortality dropped nearly 3 percent between 2002 and 2003.
5. The preliminary age-adjusted death rate for HIV declined 4.1 percent between 2002 and 2003, continuing a downward trend observed since 1994.
6. Age-adjusted death rates from alcohol dropped 4.3 percent and the rate for drug-related deaths fell 3.3 percent in 2003.
7. Mortality increased for the following leading causes of death: Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease.
Posted by Dr. Jennifer Stagg on July 30, 2006 08:45 AM
