Death rate up in U.S., though fewer dying of cancer

New CDC data show that the death rate is up in the U.S in 2015 to almost 2.6 million. The number of deaths (age-adjusted) rose from 723.2 deaths in 2014 to 729.5 per 100,000 last year. With the exception of the death rate for cancer, which has fallen slightly, death rates for most other chronic conditions are rising. Still, there are many more births—4 million births in the U.S. in 2014, up 1 percent from 2013—than deaths.

Here’s some age-adjusted data:

• More older adults are dying from falls, up from 58.7 to 59.8 deaths per 100,000
• More people are dying from suicides, stroke, emphysema, drug overdoses and Alzheimer’s disease
  • Stroke: Up from 36.4 to 37.4 deaths per 100,000
  • Suicides: Up from 12.7 to 13.1 deaths per 100,000
  • Emphysema and chronic bronchitis: Up from 40.1 to 41.3 deaths per 100,000
  • Drug overdose: Up from 14.1 to 15.2 deaths per 100,000
  • Alzheimer’s disease: Up from 25.4 to 29.2 deaths per 100,000
• Rates of death linked to heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease have not changed
  • Heart disease: Only slightly up from 166.7 to 167.1 deaths per 100,000
  • Diabetes: Only slightly up from 20.9 to 21.1 deaths per 100,000
  • Kidney disease: Very slightly up from 13.2 to 13.3 deaths per 100,000
• Fewer people are dying from cancer, down from 160.9 to 157.9 deaths per 100,000

Here’s more from Just Care:

• Get the preventive care you need: Medicare pays for it
• Five ways to ease your fear of falling
• Five steps to get your affairs in order in case of emergency 
• New data reveals that higher Social Security income helps the memory and mental function