Guest Author - Denise Howard, M.D., M.P.H.

What will be your cause of death? When will this happen? These are questions that you have probably never considered. Knowing the answers however, may provide you with the opportunity to develop health strategies and make other life arrangements.

The life expectancy of an individual is determined by many factors. Such factors include sex, race and place of birth. There are of course many other factors. People who live in industrialized countries have a much longer life expectancy than those who live in developing countries. Women tend to have a longer life expectancy than men. White people tend to have a longer life expectancy than blacks. The life expectancy in the United States has increased significantly since the turn of the century. Currently the life expectancy at birth is 77.9 years. This is based upon preliminary data from the year 2004.

The table below shows the life expectancy for men (M) and women (W) from selective years in the U.S. It also includes those for blacks (B) and whites (W).

Year All W (B) Men Women WM(BM) WW(BW)
1900 47.3 47.6 (33) 46.3 48.3 46.6(32.5) 48.7(33.5)
1950 68.2 69.1 (-) 65.6 71.1 66.3(58.9) 72(62.7)
1975 72.6 73.4(66.8) 68.8 76.6 69.5(62.4) 77.3(71.3)
1998 76.7 77.3(71.3) 73.8 79.5 74.5(67.8) 80(74.8)

If asked about an individual’s likely cause of death, what would you guess? If you said heart disease then you are correct in assuming that it is the most common cause of death. Fifty percent of all deaths can be attributed to heart disease and cancer. The top 5 causes of death in the United States in order of prevalence are heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease and unintentional injuries. The top 5 causes of death worldwide are heart disease, stroke, respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, and lung disease. For women in the U.S. the top 4 are the same and Alzheimer’s disease ranks number 5 in the top causes of death. If broken down by age group the rankings will of course change. In the younger age group, accidents, homicide and suicide are the top 3.

Women tend to be more aware of their risk from gynecologic cancers than other malignancies. The top 5 causes of cancer deaths in women, in order, are lung, breast, colon and rectal, pancreas and ovary. The most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, in order, are breast, lung, colon, uterine and lymphoma.

The statistics are striking. There are things that can be done to prevent or minimize our risk of many of the above disease. Healthy living including proper exercise, proper nutrition and the avoidance of bad habits such as smoking is the main thing. This will at least allow us to have a more wholesome life. Our life expectancy is much longer than our parents and grandparents. For this we should be grateful. In the end, we all must die from something.