Article Abstract:
Many deaths from the nine diseases that killed 1.1 million people in the United States in 1986 could have been prevented if risk factors had been reduced. The nine diseases are: stroke (sudden loss of blood to part of the brain, caused by a clot or hemorrhage); diabetes; coronary heart disease (affecting the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart itself); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a disease of many causes that leads to inadequate lung function); lung cancer; female breast cancer; cervical cancer; colorectal cancer; and chronic liver disease or cirrhosis of the liver. To evaluate excess mortality from these disorders in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. during 1986, data were collected from the National Center for Health Statistics Mortality Detail. Age-adjusted mortality was calculated for the diseases. To calculate excess mortality, two measures of the lowest mortality achieved in that state, and one measure of the risk-eliminated mortality (calculated after eliminating the largest risk factor for the disease) were used. Excess mortality was the difference between the observed rate for the state and the minimum rate. Results showed that the overall mortality for the nine diseases was 427.4 per 100,000, with Michigan's rate being the highest (483.1) and Hawaii's, the lowest (304.7). Cigarette smoking was the risk factor with the largest contribution to deaths from these diseases; obesity, sedentary life-style, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes also contributed significantly. Excess mortality varied, depending on which minimum was used in calculating it; the values ranged between zero and 37 percent. If each disease's major risk factor were eliminated, a minimum mortality of 224 per 100,000 could be anticipated, associated with a life expectancy of 77.6 years. The major risk factors that could be remedied are known: they include cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, overweight, high cholesterol, lack of exercise, heavy alcohol consumption, and failure to use screening tests such as mammography and Pap smears (to detect cervical cancer). Mortality will fall if people act on what they know and if access to health care is provided for all. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Article Abstract:
In 1986, 52 percent of all reported deaths in the US were attributable to nine diseases. These 1,103,156 deaths were the result of stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, or cirrhosis. When adjustments were made for age, these diseases accounted for a rate of 457.6 deaths per 100,000 individuals living in the United States. A higher rate of death from these diseases was found in states east of the Mississippi River; the state with the highest death rate was Michigan, while the state with the lowest mortality was Hawaii. It was found that smoking has a large effect upon the rate of death from each of these conditions. It is associated with 33 percent of deaths from these nine conditions; elimination of smoking as a factor would reduce deaths to about 307.5 per 100,000 people in the United States. Other preventable risks are high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, inactivity, heavy alcohol consumption, and avoidance of preventative screening tests such as mammographies and Pap smears. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Article Abstract:
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics' linked birth/infant-death database from 1983 through 1985 showed the coding of race and ethnic group of infants at birth and death can be inconsistent, especially if the infant was not classified as white or black at birth. Of 117,188 infants who died within a year of birth, 99% of whites and 96% of blacks were correctly registered as such at death, but only 63% of American Indians, 52% of Chinese, and 46% of Japanese infants were correctly registered. Many of these infants were registered as white at death. Infants registered as Hispanic at birth were also more likely to be incorrectly registered at death. Only 80 percent of Mexican-Americans, 52% of Puerto Ricans, and 33% of Cubans were registered as such at death. Consistent registration of race and ethnicity at birth and death would result in lower infant mortality rates for non-Hispanic whites and blacks and higher rates for all other groups.
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic: