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Updated: May 26, 2026
06:55
Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
Death in the United States, 2009
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.
NCHS Data Brief
|December 7, 2011
Summary
The age-adjusted death rate in the U.S. has continuously declined since 1960, now 45% lower. Recent improvements are linked to reduced deaths from major diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Demography
Background:
- Mortality trends are crucial for understanding population health.
- The age-adjusted death rate accounts for population age distribution changes.
- Long-term U.S. mortality data provides insights into public health progress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize U.S. mortality trends using the age-adjusted death rate.
- To analyze changes in mortality rates across demographic groups.
- To identify factors contributing to recent improvements in life expectancy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of age-adjusted death rates from 1960 to 2009.
- Comparison of mortality data across different demographic groups (race, sex).
- Examination of leading causes of death contributing to mortality changes.
Main Results:
- The age-adjusted death rate declined by 45% from 1960 to 2009.
- Mortality has decreased for all demographic groups.
- Gaps in mortality between black and white populations and between males and females have narrowed since the mid-1990s.
- Reductions in deaths from heart disease, cancer, stroke, and respiratory diseases contributed significantly to improved rates.
Conclusions:
- U.S. mortality has shown a consistent downward trend.
- Progress in reducing mortality is evident across all populations.
- Declines in major disease mortality are key drivers of increased life expectancy.
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