US Death Rate Continues to Fall

Health Care a likely cause for reduced death rates. - Credit: James Gathany, CDC

According to statistics released from the CDC, the death rate for individuals in the United States reached an all-time low of 741 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009. In total 36,336 fewer people died in 2009 compared to 2008. The agency noted that this is the 10th year in a row in which death rates have declined in the country.

The results are based on death certificate data which was collected via the National Vital Statistics Reporting System. The system pulls information for all of the states and territories under U.S. control. The findings were reported in a study titled, “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2009.”

The CDC report now indicates that the average life expectancy for an individual is up to 78.2 years of age. This number is an average taken from a life expectancy for males of 75.7 years and females at 80.6 years. The numbers are an increase in the individual average as well as an increase for each group.

Many of the leading health related causes of death showed substantial drops in death rates for 2009. The results included heart disease which declined by 3.7 percent, cancer down 1.1 percent, chronic lower respiratory diseases reduced 4.1 percent, stroke 4.2 percent, accidents/unintentional injuries 4.1 percent, Alzheimer’s disease 4.1 percent, diabetes 4.1 percent, influenza and pneumonia 4.7 percent, septicemia 1.8 percent, and homicide dropped by 6.8 percent.

Source: CDC