Life Expectancy Passes 78 Years, Death Rates
Drastically Decline, Says New CDC Report
Death rates for 8 of the 10 leading causes of death
in U.S. all dropped significantly in 2006; Alzheimers passed diabetes
becoming the sixth leading cause of death
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June 11, 2008 - Age-adjusted death rates in the
United States declined significantly between 2005 and 2006 and life
expectancy hit another record high 78.1 years, according to
preliminary death statistics released today by CDCs National Center for
Health Statistics.
The 2006 age-adjusted death rate fell to 776.4
deaths per 100,000 population, down from 799 deaths per 100,000 in 2005.
In addition, death rates for 8 of the 10 leading
causes of death in the United States all dropped significantly in 2006,
including a very sharp drop in mortality from influenza and pneumonia.
● Life expectancy at birth hit a new record high
in 2006 of 78.1 years, a 0.3 increase from 2005. Record high life
expectancy was recorded for both white males and black males (76 years
and 70 years, respectively) as well as for white females and black
females (81 years and 76.9 years).
● The preliminary number of deaths in the United
States in 2006 was 2,425,900, a 22,117 decrease from the 2005 total.
With a rapidly growing older population, declines in the number of
deaths (as opposed to death rates) are unusual, and the 2006 decline is
likely the result of more mild influenza mortality in 2006 compared with
2005.
● Between 2005 and 2006, the largest decline in
age-adjusted death rates occurred for influenza and pneumonia, with a
12.8 percent decline. Other declines were observed for chronic lower
respiratory diseases (6.5 percent), stroke (6.4 percent), heart disease
(5.5 percent), diabetes (5.3 percent), hypertension (5 percent), chronic
liver disease and cirrhosis (3.3 percent), suicide (2.8 percent),
septicemia or blood poisoning (2.7 percent), cancer (1.6 percent) and
accidents (1.5 percent).
● There were an estimated 12,045 deaths from
HIV/AIDS in 2006, and age-adjusted death rates from the disease declined
4.8% from 2005.
● The preliminary infant mortality rate for 2006
was 6.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, a 2.3 percent decline from
the 2005 rate of 6.9.
● Alzheimers disease passed diabetes to become
the sixth leading cause of death in the United States in 2006. An
estimated 72,914 Americans died of Alzheimers disease in 2006. However,
the preliminary age-adjusted death rate from Alzheimers did not change
significantly between 2005 and 2006.
The data are based on over 95% of death
certificates collected in all 50 states and the District of Columbia as
part of the National Vital Statistics System.
