Changes in the Leading Cause of Death: Recent Patterns in Heart Disease and Cancer Mortality

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• Heart disease has historically been the leading cause of death in the United States.
• Cancer has been the second leading cause of death for decades.
• Trends in mortality burden for heart disease and cancer have varied over time and across populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in the mortality burden of heart disease and cancer in the U.S.
• To examine trends in leading causes of death by state, race, and Hispanic origin.
• To highlight shifts in the ranking of heart disease and cancer as causes of death.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Vital Statistics System.
• Analyzed mortality statistics for heart disease and cancer.
• Compared leading causes of death across different states and demographic groups over time.

Main Results:

• Heart disease remained the leading cause of death overall in 2014, but the gap with cancer narrowed and widened periodically.
• Cancer surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in 22 states by 2014, up from 2 states in 2000.
• Cancer became the leading cause of death for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations, while heart disease remained leading for non-Hispanic white and black populations.

Conclusions:

• While heart disease is still the leading cause of death nationally, cancer's mortality burden is increasing significantly in specific regions and populations.
• The leading cause of death is dynamic and varies considerably by geographic location and demographic characteristics.
• Continued monitoring of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality trends is crucial for public health interventions.