Related Concept Videos
Other Pulmonary Disorders
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Causality in Epidemiology
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
You might also read
Related Articles
Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.
Deaths: Leading Causes for 2019.
Deaths: Leading Causes for 2018.
Comparability of Race-specific Mortality Data Based on 1977 Versus 1997 Reporting Standards.
Healthy People 2020: Rural Areas Lag In Achieving Targets For Major Causes Of Death.
Death Rates Due to Suicide and Homicide Among Persons Aged 10-24: United States, 2000-2017.
Births: Final Data for 2024.
Drugs Most Frequently Involved in Drug Overdose Deaths: United States, 2017-2023.
United States Life Tables, 2023.
U.S. State Life Tables, 2022.
Deaths: Leading Causes for 2023.
Trends in Births and Deaths: United States, 2010-2023.
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 19, 2025

Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
Deaths: Leading Causes for 2017.
In 2017, heart disease and cancer were the top causes of death in the U.S. Leading infant mortality causes included congenital abnormalities and prematurity, with variations by age and demographics.
More Related Videos
03:35Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: December 1, 2023
07:51Hydra, a Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Cardiovascular Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: September 26, 2018
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Mortality statistics are crucial for understanding population health trends.
- Identifying leading causes of death informs public health interventions and resource allocation.
- Previous reports provide historical context for U.S. mortality data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present final 2017 U.S. mortality data for the 10 leading causes of death.
- To analyze these causes by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin.
- To detail leading causes of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized final 2017 death certificate data from all 50 states and D.C.
- Classified causes of death using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10).
- Ranked causes based on the number of deaths attributed to the underlying cause.
Main Results:
- The 10 leading causes accounted for 74% of all U.S. deaths in 2017.
- Top causes included heart disease, malignant neoplasms, and unintentional injuries.
- Significant variations in leading causes were observed across different demographic groups.
- Leading infant causes were congenital malformations, short gestation/low birth weight, and maternal complications.
Conclusions:
- Heart disease and cancer remain the primary drivers of mortality in the U.S.
- Understanding demographic variations in causes of death is essential for targeted public health strategies.
- Specific factors dominate infant mortality, necessitating focused research and prevention efforts.