Articles: mortality.
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This report presents preliminary data on deaths for the year 2000 in the United States. U.S. data on deaths are shown by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Data on life expectancy, leading causes of death, and infant mortality are also presented. ⋯ The age-adjusted death rate in 2000 for the United States decreased slightly from 1999 to a record low in 2000. For causes of death, declines in age-adjusted rates occurred for heart disease, stroke, Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes, and cancer. Age-adjusted rates for drug-induced deaths, alcohol-induced deaths, and firearm injuries also decreased during 2000. Declines also occurred for homicides, suicides, unintentional injuries, and Chronic lower respiratory diseases although the extent of the declines cannot be precisely assessed based on the preliminary data. Age-adjusted death rates increased between 1999 and 2000 for the following causes: Pneumonitis from solids and liquids, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, hypertension, Influenza and pneumonia, and Septicemia. The infant mortality rate for the black population was 4 percent lower, while the rate for the white population decreased (nonsignificantly) by 2 percent. Life expectancy at birth rose by 0.2 years to a record high of 76.9 years.
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This report presents final 1999 data on U.S. deaths and death rates according to demographic and medical characteristics. Trends and patterns in general mortality, life expectancy, and infant and maternal mortality are also described. A previous report presented preliminary mortality data for 1999. ⋯ Generally, mortality continued long-term trends. Life expectancy in 1999 was unchanged from 1998 despite a slight increase in the age-adjusted death rate from the record low achieved in 1998. Although statistically unchanged from 1998, the trend in infant mortality has been of a steady but slowing decline. Some mortality measures for women and persons 85 years and over worsened between 1998 and 1999.
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Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a high mortality and morbidity. This pilot study was undertaken to identify contributors to outcome in the early management of patients with TBI and to investigate the feasibility of a larger study. ⋯ Both initial GCS and severity of brain injury should be used to match TBI patients for injury severity in future studies. Lower initial GCS in deceased patients was likely due to greater severity of brain injury, although it is also possible that the lower GCS was due to decreased brain perfusion (perhaps reflecting inadequate resuscitation) in these patients. Volume of early fluid resuscitation, time to definitive therapy, and time of presentation to hospital may also be important determinants of patient outcome. A large case control outcome study is required to extend these observations.
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Public health reports · Sep 2001
Comparative StudyBlack-white inequalities in mortality and life expectancy, 1933-1999: implications for healthy people 2010.
Optimistic predictions for the Healthy People 2010 goals of eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in health have been made based on absolute improvements in life expectancy and mortality. This study sought to determine whether there is evidence of relative improvement (a more valid measure of inequality) in life expectancy and mortality, and whether such improvement, if demonstrated, predicts future success in eliminating disparities. ⋯ The rationale that underlies the optimistic Healthy People 2010 forecasts, that future success can be built on a foundation of past success, is not supported when relative measures of inequality are used. There has been no sustained decrease in black-white inequalities in age-adjusted mortality or life expectancy at birth at the national level since 1945. Without fundamental changes, most probably related to the ways medical and public health practitioners are trained, evaluated, and compensated for prevention-related activities, as well as further research on translating the findings of prevention studies into clinical practice, it is likely that simply reducing disparities in access to care and/or medical treatment will be insufficient. Millions of premature deaths will continue to occur among African Americans.