New Report Looks at Latest Mortality Trends

For Release: September 25, 2003

Contact: NCHS/CDC Public Affairs, (301) 458-4800

E-mail: paoquery@cdc.gov

Deaths: Final Data for 2001. 116 pp. (PHS) 2003-1120. [PDF - 7.7 MB]

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics, looks at the latest trends in mortality for 2001, the most recent year for final data.

The report features the latest data on life expectancy, infant mortality, and selected leading causes of death by age, gender, and race/ethnicity. According to 2001 data, the 10 leading causes of death in the United States are:

1. heart disease
2. cancer
3. stroke
4. chronic lower respiratory disease
5. accidents
6. diabetes
7. pneumonia/flu
8. Alzheimer's disease
9. kidney disease
10. suicide

The report is based on data from death records filed by State vital statistics offices and reported to CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics through the National Vital Statistics System. For more information on the system or to view and download a copy of the report check the CDC/NCHS Web site.

To see a state-by-state listing of these leading causes of death (as well as other selected leading causes), see Mortality Tables.