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 Women's Health

Leading Causes of Death in Females
United States, 2008

Below are the leading causes of death in females for 2008.

All Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 24.5
2) Cancer 21.7
3) Stroke 6.5
4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5.9
5) Alzheimer's disease 4.6
6) Unintentional injuries 3.5
7) Diabetes 2.8
8) Influenza and pneumonia 2.5
9) Kidney disease 2.0
10) Septicemia 1.6

All Females by Age Group- United States, 2008

All Females by Race/Ethnicity- United States, 2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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White Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 24.6
2) Cancer 21.6
3) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 6.4
4) Stroke 6.4
5) Alzheimer's disease 5.0
6) Unintentional injuries 3.6
7) Diabetes 2.5
8) Influenza and pneumonia 2.5
9) Kidney disease 1.8
10) Septicemia 1.5

White Females by Age Group- United States, 2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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Black Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 24.9
2) Cancer 21.8
3) Stroke 6.7
4) Diabetes 4.7
5) Kidney disease 3.3
6) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3.0
7) Unintentional injuries 2.8
8) Alzheimer's disease 2.6
9) Septicemia 2.5
10) Influenza & pneumonia 2.0

Black Females by Age Group- United States, 2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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American Indian or Alaska Native Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Cancer 19.3
2) Heart disease 17.1
3) Unintentional injuries 7.9
4) Diabetes 5.9
5) Chronic liver disease 5.1
6) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 4.7
7) Stroke 4.3
8) Influenza and pneumonia 2.9
9) Kidney disease 2.8
10) Alzheimer's disease 2.1

American Indian or Alaska Native Females by Age Group- United States, 2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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Asian or Pacific Islander Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Cancer 26.9
2) Heart disease 22.3
3) Stroke 8.9
4) Diabetes 3.9
5) Unintentional injuries 3.3
6) Influenza and pneumonia 3.2
7) Alzheimer's disease 2.6
8) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2.6
9) Kidney disease 2.0
10) Hypertension 1.7

 Asian or Pacific Islander Females by Age Group- United States,
2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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Hispanic Females, All Ages Percent*
1) Cancer 21.8
2) Heart disease 21.6
3) Stroke 6.0
4) Diabetes 5.2
5) Unintentional injuries 4.4
6) Alzheimer's disease 3.3
7) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3.1
8) Influenza and pneumonia 2.6
9) Kidney disease 2.3
10) Chronic liver disease 2.0

Hispanic Females by Age Group- United States, 2008

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

*Percent of total deaths in the race category due to the disease indicated. The white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander race groups include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

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Short and Full Terms

Some terms in the leading causes of death tables have been shortened from those used in the National Vital Statistics Report. Below is a listing of the shortened terms used in the tables and their full, unabridged equivalents used in the report.

Short Terms Full Terms
Aortic aneurism Aortic aneurism and dissection
Appendix Disease Diseases of appendix
Benign neoplasms In situ neoplasms, benign neoplasms and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior
Birth defects Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
Bronchitis Acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis
Cancer Malignant neoplasms
Chronic liver disease Chronic liver disease and cirrhosiss
Diabetes Diabetes mellitus
Gallbladder disorders Cholethiasis and other disorders of gallbladder
Heart disease Diseases of heart
HIV disease Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease
Homicide Assault (homicide)
Hypertension Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease
Kidney disease Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis
Kidney infection Infections of kidney
Medical & surgical care complications Complications of medical and surgical care
Pelvic Inflammatory diseases Inflammatory diseases of female pelvic organs
Perinatal conditions Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
Pneumonitis Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids
Pregnancy complications Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
Stroke Cerebrovascular diseases
Suicide Intentional self-harm
Unintentional injuries Accidents (unintentional injuries)

Leading Causes of Death Short and Full Terms

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Content Source: CDC Office of Women's Health
Page last modified: January 3, 2013
Page last reviewed: January 3, 2013