Trends in Cancer and Heart Disease Death Rates Among Adults Aged 45-64: United States, 1999-2017

Abstract

Objectives-This report presents death rates for cancer and heart disease among adults aged 45-64 in the United States for 1999-2017. Rates for 1999-2017 are presented by sex and race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic). Methods-Mortality statistics in this report are based on information from death certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Cancer deaths are classified by the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) underlying cause-of-death codes C00-C97; heart disease deaths are classified with ICD-10 underlying cause-of-death codes I00-I09, I11, I13, and I20-I51. Death rates are calculated per 100,000 population. Trends were evaluated using the National Cancer Institute's Joinpoint Regression Program. Results-Cancer death rates for middle-aged adults aged 45-64 declined by 19% from 1999 to 2017 (224.9 deaths per 100,000 to 182.6), whereas heart disease death rates declined by 22% from 1999 (164.3) to 2011 (127.9) and then increased 4% from 2011 to 2017 (133.6). The same trend patterns were observed for both men and women. The cancer death rate was always higher than the heart disease death rate from 1999 to 2017, and was 37% higher in 2017. For non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black men and women, cancer death rates declined over the 1999-2017 period, whereas heart disease death rates declined and then increased since 2009 for non-Hispanic white men and women, and since 2011 for non-Hispanic black men and women. Hispanic men and women experienced different trends than their non-Hispanic white and black counterparts-both cancer and heart disease death rates for this group had periods of decline and stability.