Deaths: Final Data for 2018

Abstract

Objectives-This report presents final 2018 data on U.S. deaths, death rates, life expectancy, infant and maternal mortality, and trends by selected characteristics such as age, sex, Hispanic origin and race, state of residence, and cause of death. The race categories are consistent with 1997 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards, which are different from previous reports (1977 OMB standards). Methods-Information reported on death certificates is presented in descriptive tabulations. The original records are filed in state registration offices. Statistical information is compiled in a national database through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program of the National Center for Health Statistics. Causes of death are processed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. As of 2018, all states and the District of Columbia were using the 2003 revised certificate of death, which includes the 1997 OMB revised standards for race. The 2018 data based on the revised standards are not completely comparable to previous years. Selected estimates are presented in this report for both the revised and previous race standards to provide some reference for interpretation of trends. Results-In 2018, a total of 2,839,205 deaths were reported in the United States. The age-adjusted death rate was 723.6 deaths per 100,000 U.S. standard population, a decrease of 1.1% from the 2017 rate. Life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years, an increase of 0.1 year from 2017. Age-specific death rates decreased in 2018 from 2017 for age groups 15-24, 25-34, 45-54, 65-74, 75-84, and 85 and over. The 15 leading causes of death in 2018 remained the same as in 2017. The infant mortality rate decreased 2.2% to a historically low figure of 5.66 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018. Conclusions-The age-adjusted death rate for the total, male, and female populations decreased from 2017 to 2018, and life expectancy at birth increased in 2018 for the total, male, and female populations.