Leading Causes of Death in DuPage County, Illinois

National Statistics ²

In 1999 the 10 leading causes of death in the United States accounted for 80 percent of all deaths. The top two causes of death, heart disease (diseases of the heart) and malignant neoplasms (cancer) accounted for more than half of all deaths. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) was the third leading cause of death followed by chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD, formerly known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and accidents (unintentional injuries). The sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 1999 was diabetes mellitus. Influenza and pneumonia was ranked seventh. Alzheimer’s disease, nephritis, (kidney disease, includes nephritic syndrome, and nephrosis) were eighth, ninth, and tenth respectively.

The positioning of the top five leading causes of death remains unchanged from 1998. However, there were changes in the ranking of the other (6-10) leading causes of death. This was partly due to revisions in the ICD coding structure from version 9 to version 10. A change in the rules for selecting underlying causes of death is primarily responsible for the decrease in rankings for influenza and pneumonia and the increase in ranking for Alzheimer’s disease. A combination of increases in mortality for septicemia and decreases for suicide (intentional self-harm) pushed septicemia ahead of suicide for 1999. Table 1 compares the top ten leading causes of death in the U.S. for 1998 and 1999.

Table 1. Leading Causes of Death (as a Percent of Total Deaths):
U.S., 1998 & 1999

Sex Differences

There was less variability between U.S. males and females. In 1999 the top three causes of death for males and females were the same. However, accidents were the forth leading cause of death for males and the seventh leading cause of death for females. Chronic lower respiratory disease was the forth leading cause of death in females and the fifth in males. Diabetes mellitus was the fifth leading cause of death in females. Influenza and pneumonia was the sixth leading cause of death in females and the seventh in males. Suicide and chronic liver disease were the eighth and ninth leading causes of death respectively in males. Alzheimer’s disease and septicemia were the eighth and tenth leading causes of death respectively in females.


Ethnic Differences

The top two leading causes of death for individuals of Hispanic origin were heart diseases and malignant neoplasms (cancer). This was true for non-Hispanics too, however, for the other eight rankable causes of death there were significant differences in the categories for individuals of Hispanic origin. In 1999, the third leading cause of death for Hispanics in the U.S. was accidents, the forth was cerebrovascular disease, and the fifth was diabetes mellitus. Chronic lower respiratory disease was the eighth leading cause of death in Hispanics. Influenza and pneumonia was the ninth leading cause of death. Three leading causes for Hispanics, not in the top ten causes for non-Hispanics, include chronic liver disease (6th), homicide (7th), and certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (10th).


Race Differences

Several variations for the leading causes of death exist across the four major race groups (White, Black, American Indian, and Asian and Pacific Islander). All four groups share seven leading causes of death in common, but with different rankings. Heart disease and malignant neoplasms were the top two leading causes of death across all race groups. The five other common causes include cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, accidents, influenza and pneumonia, and diabetes mellitus.

Leading causes that were not shared across all four race groups include Alzheimer’s disease, nephritis, suicide, septicemia, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, homicide (assault), and HIV. For instance, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death in Asian and Pacific Islanders, ninth in American Indians, and tenth in Whites. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis was the sixth leading cause of death in American Indians but not in the top ten for other races. HIV was the seventh leading cause of death in Blacks but not in the top ten for the other races. Alzheimer’s disease, ranked eighth for Whites, was not in the top ten for the other races.


Age Differences

Leading causes of death vary considerably by age. See Table 2 for the top five leading causes of death in the United States for 1999. The leading cause of death for ages 1 to 44 years was accidents. Homicide and suicide were also notable causes of death in ages 1 to 44. Malignant neoplasms were the leading cause of death in ages 45 to 74 years. Accidents were the third leading cause of death in ages 45 to 64. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, malignant neoplasms, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus are the most prevalent cause of death in those over age 65. In ages 75 and older, heart disease is the most prevalent cause of death, followed by malignant neoplasms and cerebrovascular disease (stroke). The leading causes of mortality in infants and children under age one were congenital anomalies and short gestation. SIDS was the third leading cause of death in infants and children under age one.


Table 2. Top Five Causes of Death in the U.S. by Age: 1999 (ICD-10)

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¹ HP 2010 …..
² Anderson, RN, Deaths: Leading Causes for 1999, National Vital Statistics Report
   49(11) 2001.
³ Leading Causes of Death for Illinois: CDC WISQUARS
⁴ Leading Causes of Death for DuPage County: IDPH Vital Statistics
⁵ Illinois Cancer Deaths: IDPH IPLAN Data System
⁶ DuPage Cancer Deaths: IDPH Vital Statistics
⁷ Leading Causes of Death for Illinois: CDC WISQUARS
⁸ Leading Causes of Death for DuPage County: IDPH Vital Statistics
⁹ HP 2010
¹⁰ Community Health Status Report 2000

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