What Kills Americans Varies State to State

by Jessie Hill | December 14, 2016

An extensive report by researchers at the University of Washington and published in JAMA made connections between the counties across the United States and causes of death in each. Fourteen years of data from all counties in the United States were collected and studied. This is the first report of its kind to examine geographic mortality patterns for a number of causes.

Death rates from cancers were highest in counties in the eastern half of Kentucky and western half of West Virginia. Counties near the southern half of the Mississippi River also had high death rates from cancers.

While cardiovascular disease was a leading cause of death across the board, is was particularly significant in some counties in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Eastern Kentucky.

Counties in North and South Dakota with Native American reservations tended to have high rates of diseases like diabetes in addition to higher death rates from suicide and violence.

Changes in the mortality rates over time were also studied. For example, noticeable increases in deaths from neurological disorders were found in southern counties in Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama.

Some counties in the Carolinas and Northern Texas had increases in death rates from chronic respiratory diseases.

A disturbing trend in all counties in the country was the increase in mortality rates from mental disorders and substance abuse.

This greatly detailed report will be an excellent resource for health professionals and local health departments to better serve needs distinct to the populations whom they serve.

Additionally, this excellent resource can also be used by individuals, not to be a cause of worry or impetus to move, but to consider local causes of death and make use of positive health practices to promote health. It isn’t possible to move to a county where no one dies. But it is possible to pursue an excellent and long life no matter the location.

Resources:
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2592499

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