U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

The Effect of Changes in Selected Age-specific Causes of 

Death on Non-Hispanic White Life Expectancy Between

2000 and 2014

Kenneth D. Kochanek, M.A., Elizabeth Arias, Ph.D., and Brigham A. Bastian, B.S.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Vital Statistics System, 

Mortality

● Between 2000 and 2014, life 

expectancy increased by 3.6, 

2.6, and 1.4 years, respectively, 

for non-Hispanic black, 

Hispanic, and non-Hispanic 

white persons.

● The 1.4-year increase in life 

expectancy for non-Hispanic 

white persons would have been 

greater if not for increases in 

death rates due to unintentional 

injuries, suicide, Alzheimer’s 

disease, chronic liver disease, 

and hypertension.

● Increases in death rates 

due to unintentional injuries, 

suicide, and chronic liver 

disease were large enough to 

increase all-cause non-Hispanic 

white death rates for ages 

25–34, 35–44, and 45–54.

● Increases in death rates due 

to unintentional poisonings for 

ages 25–34, 35–44, and 45–54 

had the greatest impact on the 

change in life expectancy for 

non-Hispanic white persons.

Between 2000 and 2014, life expectancy at birth in the United States increased 

by 2.0 years (1,2). The non-Hispanic black population experienced the greatest 

gain, followed by the Hispanic population. The non-Hispanic white population 

experienced the smallest gain. Changes in life expectancy over time are directly 

affected by increases and decreases in age-specific death rates and age-specific 

cause of death rates. In this report, the relationship between increases in all-cause 

age-specific and cause-specific death rates and the change in life expectancy for 

the non-Hispanic white population between 2000 and 2014 is explored.

Keywords: race and ethnicity • National Vital Statistics System

The increase in life expectancy at birth between 2000 and 

2014 varied by race and Hispanic origin.

● Between 2000 and 2014, life expectancy for the total population 

increased by 2.0 years (Figure 1).

NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 250 ■ June 2016

Figure 1. Increase in life expectancy at birth, by race and Hispanic origin: United States, 

2000–2014

NOTE: Access data table for Figure 1 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db250_table.pdf#1.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 250 ■ June 2016

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● Life expectancy at birth increased by 3.6 years for the non-Hispanic black population (from 

71.6 years in 2000 to 75.2 years in 2014) and by 2.6 years for the Hispanic population (from 

79.2 years in 2000 to 81.8 years in 2014).

● Life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white population increased by 1.4 years (from 77.4 

years in 2000 to 78.8 years in 2014).

The change in life expectancy at birth for the non-Hispanic white population 

from 2000 to 2014 was due to increases in death rates for some causes of 

death and to decreases in others.

● The decrease in death rates due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, pneumonia, and aortic 

aneurysm contributed 1.928 years to the change in life expectancy at birth (Figure 2).

● The increase in death rates due to unintentional injuries, suicide, Alzheimer’s disease, 

chronic liver disease, and hypertension contributed a loss of 0.419 years to the change in life 

expectancy.

● Unintentional injuries, suicide, and chronic liver disease contributed a loss of 0.337 years in 

life expectancy.

NOTES: The figure shows only 10 causes of death. The sum of all contributions by cause of death equals 1.4 years, the increase in life expectancy for the 

non-Hispanic white population from 2000 to 2014. Access data table for Figure 2 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db250_table.pdf#2.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2. Contribution of the leading causes of death to the change in life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white 

population: United States, 2000–2014
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The change in life expectancy at birth for the non-Hispanic white population 

from 2000 to 2014 was due to increases in death rates for some specific age 

groups and to decreases in others.

● The decrease in all-cause age-specific death rates for ages 0–1, 1–4, 5–14, 15–24, 55–64, 

65–74, 75–84, and 85 and over contributed 1.618 years to the change in life expectancy at 

birth (Figure 3).

● The increase in all-cause age-specific death rates for ages 25–34, 35–44, and 45–54 

contributed a loss of 0.182 years to the change in life expectancy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: Access data table for Figure 3 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db250_table.pdf#3.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

Figure 3. Contribution of all-cause age-specific death rates to the change in life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white 

population: United States, 2000–2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 250 ■ June 2016

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Death rates due to unintentional injuries, suicide, and chronic liver disease 

in ages 25–54 increased for the non-Hispanic white population from 2000 to 

2014.

● Death rates due to unintentional injuries increased 63.3% for ages 25–34, 41.5% for ages 

35–44, and 73.5% for ages 45–54 (Figure 4).

● Death rates due to suicide increased by 37.3% for ages 25–34, 30.2% for ages 35–44, and 

57.5% for ages 45–54.

● Death rates due to chronic liver disease increased by 30.9% for the age group 45–54.

Figure 4. Age-specific death rates for unintentional injuries, suicide, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis for the 

non-Hispanic white population: United States, 2000–2014

NOTES: UI is unintentional injuries, S is suicide, and CL is chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Death rates for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis for ages 25–34 

and 35–44 are not shown due to very small death rates (ages 25–34) and no statistical change over time (ages 35–44). Access data table for Figure 4 at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db250_table.pdf#4.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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The change in life expectancy at birth for the non-Hispanic white 

population from 2000 to 2014 was due to increases in death rates for some 

subcategories of unintentional injuries and decreases in others.

● The decrease in death rates due to motor vehicle, other transport, unintentional fire, 

water transport, unintentional drowning, other land transport, and unintentional firearms 

contributed 0.197 years to the change in life expectancy at birth (Figure 5).

● The decrease in deaths from motor vehicle accidents contributed the most (0.153 years).

● Unintentional poisonings (mostly drug and alcohol poisoning) had the greatest contribution 

to the change in life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white population with a loss of 0.338 

years.

 

 

 

NOTE: Access data table for Figure 5 at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db250_table.pdf#5.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, Mortality.

Figure 5. Contribution of unintentional injuries to the change in life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white population: 

United States, 2000–2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Summary

Between 2000 and 2014, life expectancy at birth increased by 1.4 years for the non-Hispanic 

white population in comparison with 2.6 years for the Hispanic and 3.6 years for the non-Hispanic 

black populations. In fact, for the first time in over 20 years, life expectancy declined by 0.1 

years for the non-Hispanic white population between 2013 and 2014 (1,2). This finding led to the 

question of whether the rise in mortality from suicide, drug and alcohol poisoning, and chronic 

liver disease over the period played a role in the relatively small increase in life expectancy for 

the non-Hispanic white population (3).

The increase in life expectancy for the non-Hispanic white population was positively affected by 

decreases in death rates due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, pneumonia, and aortic aneurysm. On 

the other hand, increases in death rates due to unintentional injuries, suicide, Alzheimer’s disease, 

chronic liver disease, and hypertension had negative effects on the change in life expectancy. 

Increases in cause-specific death rates from only three causes—unintentional injuries, suicide, 

and chronic liver disease—were large enough to affect the all-cause death rates for the 

non-Hispanic white population in the age groups 25–34 (27.6% increase), 35–44 (2.7% increase), 

and 45–54 (7.0% increase). No other cause, including Alzheimer’s disease, had a large enough 

influence to affect all-cause age specific death rates. Increases in death rates due to unintentional 

poisonings (mostly drug and alcohol poisoning) for these three age groups had the single greatest 

negative effect on the change in life expectancy.

Increases in mortality due to unintentional poisonings, suicide, and chronic liver disease 

directly affected the change in life expectancy over the past 15 years for the non-Hispanic white 

population.

Definitions

Cause-of-death classification: Medical information—including injury diagnoses and external 

causes of injury—that is entered on death certificates filed in the United States is classified and 

coded in accordance with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related 

Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD–10) (4). Corresponding cause-of-death categories and 

ICD–10 codes presented in this report are as follows:

Unintentional injuries [Accidents (V01–X59,Y85–Y86)]

 Motor vehicle [Motor vehicle accidents (V02–V04,V09.0,V09.2,V12–V14,

 V19.0–V19.2,V19.4–V19.6,V20–V79,V80.3–V80.5,V81.0–V81.1,V82.0–V82.1,

 V83–V86,V87.0–V87.8,V88.0–V88.8,V89.0,V89.2)]

 Other land transport [Other land transport accidents (V01,V05–V06,V09.1,

 V09.3–V09.9,V10–V11,V15–V18,V19.3,V19.8–V19.9,V80.0–V80.2,

 V80.6–V80.9,V81.2–V81.9,V82.2–V82.9,V87.9,V88.9,V89.1,V89.3,V89.9)]

 Water transport [Water, air and space, and other and unspecified transport accidents and 

 their sequelae (V90–V99,Y85)]

 Unintentional falls [Falls (W00–W19)]

 Unintentional firearms [Accidental discharge of firearms (W32–W34)]
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 250 ■ June 2016

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 Unintentional drowning [Accidental drowning and submersion (W65–W74)]

 Unintentional fire [Accidental exposure to smoke, fire and flames (X00–X09)]

 Unintentional poisoning [Accidental poisoning and exposure to noxious substances 

 (X40–X49)]

 Other nontransport [Other and unspecified nontransport accidents and their sequelae 

 (W20–W31,W35–W64,W75–W99,X10–X39,X50–X59,Y86)]

Suicide [Intentional self-harm (*U03,X60–X84,Y87.0)]

Heart disease [Diseases of heart (I00–I09,I11,I13,I20–I51)]

Cancer [Malignant neoplasms (C00–C97)]

Stroke [Cerebrovascular diseases (I60–I69)]

Pneumonia [Influenza and pneumonia (J09–J18)]

Aortic aneurysm [Aortic aneurysm and dissection (I71)]

Alzheimer’s disease (G30)

Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis [Chronic liver disease (K70,K73–K74)]

Hypertension [Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (I10,I12,I15)]

Life expectancy: The average number of years that a group of infants would live if the group was 

to experience throughout life the age-specific death rates present in the year of birth; also referred 

to as period or current life expectancy (5). 

Data source and methods

All data are from the mortality file from the National Vital Statistics System. Life table 

methodology is explained in the reports “Deaths: Final Data for 2013” (2) and “United States Life 

Tables, 2011” (5). A complete description of the Arriaga life table partitioning methodology can 

be found in references 6 and 7.

About the authors

Kenneth D. Kochanek, Elizabeth Arias, and Brigham A. Bastian are with the National Center for 

Health Statistics, Division of Vital Statistics, Mortality Statistics Branch.

References

1. Arias E. Changes in life expectancy by race and Hispanic origin in the United States, 2013–

2014. NCHS data brief, no 244. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2016.

2. Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Bastian BA. Deaths: Final data for 2013. National vital 

statistics reports; vol 64 no 2. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2016.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 250 ■ June 2016

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3. Case A, Deaton A. Rising morbidity and mortality in midlife among 

white non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st century. Proc Natl Acad Sci 

112(49):15078–83. 2015.

4. WHO. International statistical classification of diseases and related health 

problems, tenth revision. 2nd edition. Geneva, Switzerland. 2004.

5. Arias E. United States life tables, 2011. National vital statistics reports; 

vol 64 no 11. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015.

6. Arriaga EE. Measuring and explaining the change in life expectancies. 

Demography 21(1):83–96. 1984.

7. Arriaga E. Changing trends in mortality decline during the last 

decades. In: Ruzicka L, Wunsch G, Kane P, editors. Differential mortality: 

Methodological issues and biosocial factors. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1989.

Suggested citation

Kochanek KD, Arias E, Bastian BA. The 

effect of changes in selected age-specific 

causes of death on non-Hispanic white life 

expectancy between 2000 and 2014. NCHS 

data brief, no 250. Hyattsville, MD: National 

Center for Health Statistics. 2016.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., M.B.A., Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Vital Statistics

Delton Atkinson, M.P.H., M.P.H., P.M.P.,

Director

Hanyu Ni, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Director 

for Science