Mortality
Leading causes of death are determined by measuring how many people die and what the cause of
death is. Leading causes account for the highest numbers of deaths in a given population and
time period. Leading cause of death rankings are based on the underlying cause of death. There
are 50 rankable causes in the United States.
In 1951, the Public Health Conference on Records and Statistics recommended that state and federal agencies responsible for identifying diseases of public health importance adopt a uniform ranking procedure using a standard list of causes of death. The procedures implemented in 1952 are essentially the same as those currently used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics; however, the cause-of-death lists have been expanded and altered over time with each subsequent revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).1
In 1951, the Public Health Conference on Records and Statistics recommended that state and federal agencies responsible for identifying diseases of public health importance adopt a uniform ranking procedure using a standard list of causes of death. The procedures implemented in 1952 are essentially the same as those currently used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics; however, the cause-of-death lists have been expanded and altered over time with each subsequent revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).1
1. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. National vital statistics reports;
vol 62 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013., downloaded on
10/24/2014 from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf.
- Leading causes of death are a primary measure of a geographic area's overall health status or quality of life.2
- Cause-of-death ranking is a useful tool for understanding the impact of specific types of mortality on a community.3
- Investigating mortality by cause is necessary for the development of prevention strategies.
2. Leading causes of death. Statistical measures and definitions. National
Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems., downloaded on 10/24/2014 from
https://naphsis-web.sharepoint.com/about/Documents/Leading_Causes_draft_Glen.pdf.
3. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. National vital statistics reports; vol 62 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013., downloaded on 10/24/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf.
3. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. National vital statistics reports; vol 62 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013., downloaded on 10/24/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf.
Nationally, heart disease and cancer have been the first and second leading causes of death,
respectively, since at least 1935. Stroke has been among the top five leading causes every year
as well. Unintentional injury entered the top five leading causes of death in 1946 and chronic
lower respiratory diseases entered the top five leading causes of death in
1979.4
Leading causes of death vary by time period, geographic area, age, race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographic factors. For example, the mortality burden of cancer is greater than that of heart disease in several states. In 2000, there were only two states where cancer was the leading cause of death; in 2014, there were 22.5
Leading causes of death vary by time period, geographic area, age, race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographic factors. For example, the mortality burden of cancer is greater than that of heart disease in several states. In 2000, there were only two states where cancer was the leading cause of death; in 2014, there were 22.5
4. Hoyert DL. 75 years of mortality in the United States, 1935-2010 NCHS
data brief, no 88. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2012, downloaded on
10/24/2014 from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db88.pdf.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Changes in the Leading Cause of Death: Recent Patterns in Heart Disease and Cancer Mortality. Accessed 2/22/19 at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db254.htm.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Changes in the Leading Cause of Death: Recent Patterns in Heart Disease and Cancer Mortality. Accessed 2/22/19 at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db254.htm.
Mortality statistics are collected in accordance with World Health Organization
(WHO) regulations, which require
member nations to classify and code causes of death in accordance with the current revision of
the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). ICD
provides basic guidance used in virtually all countries to code and classify causes of death.
Effective with deaths occurring in 1999, the United States began using the 10th revision of this
classification, ICD-10. The latest revision
(ICD-11) began preparing for implementation in November of 2018 and will be presented at the World
Health Assembly for official endorsement in May
2019.6 A major difference between
ICD-11 and previous revisions is that it can be easily integrated into electronic health
applications and information systems, it is fully electronic, and it was produced through
unprecedented collaboration. The WHO received over 10,000 proposals in order to create a system
that would be ready for release worldwide. However, the adoption process for ICD revisions is slow.
Many countries are still using ICD-8 or ICD-9, and the United States only recently made the switch
to ICD-10 in 2015 - 15 years after it's initial
release.7
ICD also provides definitions, tabulation lists, the format of the cause-of-death section of the death certificate, and the rules for coding cause of death.
Tabulations of cause-of-death statistics are based solely on the underlying cause of death. The underlying cause is defined by the WHO as the disease or injury that initiated the chain of events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury. The underlying cause is selected from the conditions entered by the physician in the cause-of-death section of the death certificate. When more than one cause or condition is entered by the physician, the underlying cause is determined by the sequence of conditions on the certificate, the provisions of ICD, and associated selection rules and modifications.8
ICD also provides definitions, tabulation lists, the format of the cause-of-death section of the death certificate, and the rules for coding cause of death.
Tabulations of cause-of-death statistics are based solely on the underlying cause of death. The underlying cause is defined by the WHO as the disease or injury that initiated the chain of events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury. The underlying cause is selected from the conditions entered by the physician in the cause-of-death section of the death certificate. When more than one cause or condition is entered by the physician, the underlying cause is determined by the sequence of conditions on the certificate, the provisions of ICD, and associated selection rules and modifications.8
6. ICD-11 Joint Linearization for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics:
Project Plan 2015-2018. World Health Organization. 2018. Accessed 2/27/2019 at
https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/revision/icdprojectplan2015to2018.pdf.
7. Coding disease and death. World Health Organization. 2018. Accessed 2/27/2019 at https://www.who.int/health-topics/international-classification-of-diseases.
8. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. National vital statistics reports; vol 62 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013., downloaded on 10/24/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf.
7. Coding disease and death. World Health Organization. 2018. Accessed 2/27/2019 at https://www.who.int/health-topics/international-classification-of-diseases.
8. Heron M. Deaths: Leading causes for 2010. National vital statistics reports; vol 62 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013., downloaded on 10/24/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr62/nvsr62_06.pdf.
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Birth Defects: Infant Mortality
- Breast Cancer Deaths
- Cancer Deaths
- Carbon Monoxide Deaths
- Cervical Cancer Death
- Child Injury Deaths
- Colorectal Cancer Deaths
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Deaths
- Deaths due to Diabetes as Underlying Cause
- Deaths From All Causes
- Drug Overdose and Poisoning Incidents
- Fetal and Perinatal Mortality
- Heart Disease Deaths
- Homicide
- Infant Mortality
- Lung Cancer Deaths
- Maternal Mortality
- Melanoma of the Skin Deaths
- Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Deaths
- Parkinson's Disease
- Prostate Cancer Deaths
- Stroke (Cerebrovascular Disease) Deaths
- Suicide
- Unintentional Injury Deaths
Mortality
Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL)
Infant/Fetal Mortality
In-hospital Deaths
- September 2020 Health Status Update: Infant Mortality in Utah by Age at Death, 2015-2017
- Utah Vital Statistics - Births and Deaths 2017
- Drowning in Utah 2019 Fact Sheet
- Utah Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Recent Release Report
- Utah Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Hot Spots Report
- February 2019 Utah Health Status Update: Opioid Overdose Deaths by Occupation Groups in Utah, 2012-2017
- Utah Vital Statistics - Births and Deaths 2016
- Suicide Report 2018
- Gabapentin and Prescription Opiods Report 2018
- Child Injuries and Deaths, Utah, 2014-2016
- Drowning in Utah 2018 Factsheet
- Women of Childbearing Age Injuries and Deaths, Utah, 2014-2016
- Perinatal Mortality Review Update: Maternal Mortality in Utah 2015-2016
- Severe Maternal Morbidity, Utah 2013-2015
- Special Edition Utah Health Status Update: CDC Investigation Shows Youth Suicides in Utah Increasing
- October 2017 Utah Health Status Update: Fentanyl Abuse in Utah and Risks to First Responders
- May 2017 Breaking News: Maternal Mortality in Utah
- Prescription Opioid Deaths Factsheet
- Cancer in Utah: An Overview of Incidence and Mortality 2004-2013
- Utah Vital Statistics - Births and Deaths: Utah, 2015
- Utah Vital Statistics - Mortality by Cause, Sex, Age, and Autopsy, Residents: Utah, 2015
- November 2016 Health Status Update: Prescribing Practice in Utah
- November 2016 Breaking News: Fentanyl and Naloxone
- Occupational Fatalities (from Utah State Health Assessment 2016 Report)
- Suicide (from Utah State Health Assessment 2016 Report)
- Prescription Drug Misuse/Deaths (from Utah State Health Assessment 2016 Report)
- Unintended Injury Deaths (from Utah State Health Assessment 2016 Report)
- Suicide in Utah - Youth (10-17 Years)
- Suicide in Utah 2014
- June 2016 Breaking News: Youth Suicide
- Utah Vital Statistics - Births and Deaths: Utah, 2014
- Utah Vital Statistics - Mortality by Cause, Sex, Age, and Autopsy, Residents: Utah, 2014
- October 2015 Community Health Spotlight: Strategies to Reduce Infant Mortality in Utah
- August 2015 Utah Health Status Update: Health Status by Race and Ethnicity: 15 Years of Surveillance
- February 2015 Utah Health Status Update: Risk and Protective Factors for Youth Suicide