Death is inevitable but about 100,000 Americans actually die before their time each year due to preventable causes, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
In a study published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on May 2, CDC researchers said that the five primary causes of death in the U.S in 2010 were diseases of the heart, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke (cerebrovascular diseases) and unintentional injuries, which are responsible for 63 percent of the deaths during the period.
The researchers analyzed mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System covering the years 2008 to 2010 to analyze the premature deaths, or deaths that occur before the age of 80, from the five major causes of deaths for each state and found that many of these deaths are preventable.
By comparing the mortality rates of the three states with the lowest number of deaths with those of other states, the researchers determined that the number of deaths that can be prevented from each of the major causes could be up to 40 percent.
The researchers found that if each state had the lowest mortality rate for each of the causes, there would be a 34 percent reduction in deaths caused by heart diseases which translates to about 92,000 lives; 21 percent decline in deaths due to cancer equivalent to 84,500 lives; 38 percent drop in the number of deaths caused by chronic lower respiratory diseases or about 29,000 lives; 33 percent reduction in deaths from stroke or about 17,000 lives and 39 percent drop in deaths due to unintentional injuries which translates to 37,000 lives.
Deaths from the five major causes are largely due to modifiable factors and the study authors noted that risks can be avoided with behavioral changes. Risks for heart diseases, for instance, are associated with poor diet, tobacco use and weight issues. Sun exposure, exposure to certain substances and alcohol use, on the other hand, are linked with cancer risks. Death from unintentional injury also happens for not using safety gears such as helmets and seatbelts as well as use of unsafe products.
"We think that this report can help states set goals for preventing premature death from the conditions that account for the majority of deaths in the United States," said study author Harold Jaffe, CDC's associate director for science. "Achieving these goals could prolong the lives of tens of thousands of Americans."
