During the 20th century, the U.S. saw a rapid reduction in deaths from infectious diseases — a medical triumph made possible by vaccines, improved sanitation and the development of antibiotics.
With that reduction, the average life expectancy of Americans increased steadily, recently hitting 78.8 years. While diseases like polio and measles are far less prevalent in the U.S. today, the 21st century has presented its own public health challenges. For example, as people live longer, they are more likely to be affected by non-communicable diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, which generally affect people later in life.
To get a better sense of recent health challenges, HealthGrove, a health research site powered by Graphiq, found the 100 deadliest diseases and conditions of the past 15 years (2000-2014). Using mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the team ranked the causes of death in the U.S. with the highest frequency per 100,000 people since the turn of the century.
As expected, the list is dominated by non-communicable diseases, with illnesses like heart disease, lung cancer and dementia in the top 10. There are, however, some more surprising trends. Both HIV and hepatitis C make the list, despite recent gains in slowing both diseases. Additionally, suicide by firearm ranks in the top 20, ahead of diseases such as ovarian cancer and emphysema.
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