CDC’s Health Statistics Center study, “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2004,” reveals higher life expectancy, closing of ‘gender gap’

The summary, which will be followed by a more comprehensive report to be released in May, is based on approximately 90 percent of death records reported in all 50 states for 2004 and shows an increase in life expectancy and a narrowing of the gender gap.

Highlights of the report include:

The life expectancy of Americans in 2004 – 77.9 years – is the highest it has ever been.

The life expectancy for women in the United States is 80.4 years; the life expectancy for U.S. men is 75.2 years.

The life expectancy gender gap is narrowing – the 5.2 years difference in 2004 was the smallest difference since 1946.

Alzheimer’s disease moved into 7th place among leading killers in the United States, passing influenza and pneumonia.

Age-adjusted death rates fell to a record low of 801 deaths per 100,000 population in 2004, down from almost 833 deaths per 100,000 in 2003.

Total deaths (nearly 2.4 million in 2004) declined almost 50,000 between 2003 and 2004, the biggest one year drop in several decades.

Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2004

by Arialdi M. Miniño, M.P.H.; Melonie Heron, Ph.D.; and Betty L. Smith, B.S. Ed., Division of Vital Statistics

This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s  National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) provides selected key findings from 2004 preliminary mortality data for the United States. The findings come from a substantial portion of the records of deaths that occurred in calendar year 2004 and were received and processed by NCHS as of September 12, 2005. Mortality records are based on information reported on death certificates as completed by funeral directors, attending physicians, medical examiners, and coroners.

A report that includes a more complete analysis of the preliminary data is forthcoming . Key findings from this report follow:

Highlights from Preliminary Mortality Data, 2004

The preliminary, estimated number of deaths in the United States for 2004 was 2,398,343 

The estimated age-adjusted death rate, which accounts for changes in the age distribution of the population, reached a record low of 801.0 per 100,000 U.S. standard population. The preliminary crude death rate for 2004 was 816.7 per 100,000 population.

The preliminary estimate of life expectancy at birth for the total population in 2004 reached a record high of 77.9 years 

The 15 leading causes of death in 2004  were:

Diseases of heart (heart disease);

Malignant neoplasms (cancer);

Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke);

Chronic lower respiratory diseases;

Accidents (unintentional injuries);

Diabetes mellitus (diabetes);

Alzheimer’s disease;

Influenza and pneumonia;

Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease;

Septicemia;

Intentional self-harm (suicide);

Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis;

Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (hypertension);

Parkinson’s disease; and

Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids.

The preliminary infant mortality rate for 2004 was 6.76 infant deaths per 1,000 live births 

The 10 leading causes of infant mortality for 2004   were:

Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (congenital malformations);

Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified (low birthweight);

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS);

Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy (maternal complications);

Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes (cord and placental complications);

Accidents (unintentional injuries);

Respiratory distress of newborn;

Bacterial sepsis of newborn;

Neonatal hemorrhage; and

Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia.

Trends

The age-adjusted death rate reached a record low 801.0 per 100,000 U.S. standard population . This value is 3.8 percent lower than the 2003 rate of 832.7 (. All the sex, race, and Hispanic origin groups described in this report showed significant decreases in the age-adjusted death rate between 2003 and 2004. The relative magnitudes of these decreases were:

Non-Hispanic white males (3.5 percent);

Non-Hispanic white females (3.2 percent);

Non-Hispanic black males (4.4 percent);

Non-Hispanic black females (3.9 percent);

American Indian males (5.9 percent);

American Indian females (5.9 percent);

Asian or Pacific Islander males (5.1 percent);

Asian or Pacific Islander females (3.5 percent);

Hispanic males (6.1 percent); and

Hispanic females (6.3 percent).

Life expectancy at birth for the total population in 2004 reached a record high of 77.9 years. This represents an increase of 0.4 year relative to 2003. Record-high life expectancies were reached for white and black males, as well as for white and black females (Figure 2).

The trend toward convergence in mortality figures across the sexes continued in 2004. The difference in life expectancy at birth between male and female has decreased an average one-tenth of a year every year since 1980. The difference between male and female life expectancy was 5.2 years in 2004, the smallest such difference since 1946.

The trend toward convergence in mortality figures across the major race groups also continued in 2004. The trend that began between 1993 and 1994 has meant an average decrease of one-fifth of a year every year since 1993. The difference between white and black life expectancy in 2004 was 5.0 years.

The 15 leading causes of death in 2004 remained the same as in 2003 with the exception that Alzheimer’s disease and Influenza and pneumonia swapped positions with each other relative to their previous placement in 2003. The age-adjusted death rate declined significantly for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death. Long-term decreasing trends for heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the three leading causes of death) continued. Increases occurred for hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease.

The slight decrease (1.3 percent) in the infant mortality rate between 2003 and 2004 was not statistically significant.