Progress in Chronic Disease Prevention
Mortality Trends -- United States, 1986-1988
The leading causes of death in the United States are monitored by
mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (see page
118). In 1986, 1987, and the 12-month period October 1, 1987, to
September 30, 1988, death rates decreased for some of the leading
causes of death, including two of the three leading causes--heart
disease and stroke (Table 1). However, the rate for the second
leading
cause--cancer--increased during this period. Together, these three
causes account for about two thirds of the approximately 2 million
deaths that occur annually in the United States.
Reported by: Mortality Statistics Br, Div of Vital Statistics,
National
Center for Health Statistics, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: The National Vital Statistics System is the only
source of complete data on mortality in the United States.
Mortality
data are a major health indicator and are widely used in MMWR
presentations. They will be a principal source for the forthcoming
series of chronic disease reports (4). The following article
provides a
description of the sources and quality of mortality data in the
National Vital Statistics System, as well as a description of how
the
information is analyzed and disseminated.
References
National Center for Health Statistics. Advance report of final
mortality statistics, 1986. Hyattsville, Maryland: US Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1988; DHHS
publication no. (PHS)88-1120. (Monthly vital statistics report; vol
37,
no. 6, suppl).
2.National Center for Health Statistics. Annual summary of births,
marriages, divorces, and deaths: United States, 1987. Hyattsville,
Maryland: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, 1988; DHHS publication no. (PHS)88-1120. (Monthly vital
statistics report; vol 36, no. 13).
3.National Center for Health Statistics. Births, marriages,
divorces,
and deaths for October 1988. Hyattsville, Maryland: US Department
of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1989; DHHS
publication no. (PHS)89-1120. (Monthly vital statistics report; vol
37,
no. 10).
4.CDC. Chronic disease reports in the Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly
Report (MMWR). MMWR 1989;38(suppl S-1).
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