QuickStats: Death Rates* Attributed to Excessive Cold or Hypothermia† Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years, by Urban-Rural Status§ and Age Group — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2019
Weekly / February 19, 2021 / 70(7);258
* Crude rate of deaths per 100,000 population; 95% confidence intervals indicated by error bars.
† Deaths attributed to excessive cold or hypothermia were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision multiple cause of death code X31 (Exposure to excessive natural cold) or T68 (Hypothermia).
§ Urban-rural status is determined by the Office of Management and Budget’s February 2013 delineation of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), in which each MSA must have at least one urban area of ≥50,000 inhabitants. Areas with <50,000 inhabitants are grouped into the rural category.
In 2019, among persons aged ≥15 years, death rates attributed to excessive cold or hypothermia were higher in rural areas than in urban areas across every age group. Crude rates were lowest among those aged 15–34 years at 0.2 and 0.5 per 100,000 population in urban and rural areas, respectively. Rates increased with age, with the highest rates among those aged ≥85 years at 4.6 in urban areas and 8.6 in rural areas. Differences between urban and rural rates also increased with age.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality Data 2019. https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html
Reported by: Merianne R. Spencer, MPH, MSpencer@cdc.gov, 301-458-4377; Holly Hedegaard, MD.
Suggested citation for this article: QuickStats: Death Rates Attributed to Excessive Cold or Hypothermia Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years, by Urban-Rural Status and Age Group — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:258. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7007a6external icon.
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