NCHS Data Briefs

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

NCHS Data Briefs from the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The following reports have been added:

Data Brief No. 125. How Did Cause of Death Contribute to Racial Differences in Life Expectancy in the United States in 2010?

The trend in U.S. life expectancy since 1900 has been one of gradual improvement. In 2010 life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years, an increase of 11% since 1970. For the white population, life expectancy increased 10%, and for the black population the increase was 17%. Nevertheless, differences in life expectancy by race have been observed and have persisted at least since official estimates have been recorded. Measuring health disparities, including life expectancy at birth, is part of the Healthy People 2020 recommendations. These disparities can be examined by looking at the leading causes of death and how these causes influence life expectancy at birth. In this report, differences in the leading causes of death among black and white populations are examined to determine which causes contributed to the difference in life expectancy between the black and white populations in 2010.

Learn More >>