2D. PATTERNSOF PREMATUREMORTALITY
Figure2D-3
MedianAge at Death for Selected LeadingCauses of Death,
Arizona, 2013
In 2013,
Alzheimer?s disease
had the highest median age
of death at 87 years (
Figure
2D-3
), exceeding by 11 years
the median age at death for
all causes (
Figure 2D-3
,
Table2D-3
).
Among the leading causes of
death,
homicide
had the
lowest median age at death of
33 years.
From 2003 to 2013,
cancer
has replaced
diseases of the
heart
as the leading cause of
death (based on the number
of deaths). This epidemiologic
transition in mortality risks is
likely to have long lasting
implications for the life
expectancy of Arizonans,
because the median age at
death from
cancer
(72 years)
is substantially lower than the
median age at death from
diseases of the heart
(81
years).
Figure2D-4
Percent of Deaths before ExpectedYears of Life
a
Reached for Selected Leading
Causes of Death, Arizona, 2013
Notes:
a
Expected years of life at birth for all U.S. residents (78.7 years).
Only 15.0 percent of deaths
from
Alzheimer?s disease
occurred before the age of
78.7 years, i.e., before the
expected years of life were
reached. In contrast, all
deaths from
HIV disease
were premature (
Figure
2D-4
,
Table 2D-4
) and the
median age at death from
HIV disease
increased from
the previous year at 49
years (
Figure 2D-3
,
Table
2D-3
).
A minority of deaths from
diseases of heart
were
premature (44.1 percent).
In contrast 67.4 percent of
deaths
from
cancer
occurred
before
the
expected years of life were
reached.
Arizona Health Status and Vital Statistics 2013
199
