NHANES MOBILE 

EXAMINATION CENTER

Health, United States Spotlight

Health Status & Determinants Spring 2016

ABOUT HEALTH, UNITED STATES

Health, United States is the annual report on health, produced by the 

National Center for Health Statistics and submitted by the Secretary of 

the Dept. of Health and Human Services to the President and Congress. 

The report uses data from government sources as well as private and 

global sources to present an overview of national health trends. This 

infographic features four indicators from the report’s Health Status & 

Determinants subject area. 

For more information, visit the Health, United States website at:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm.

Four Subject Areas

of Health, United States

 Health status

& determinants

Utilization 

of health 

resources

Health care 

expenditures

& payers

Health care 

resources

CAUSES OF DEATH

ABOUT THE DATA

Source: NCHS/National Vital 

Statistics System (NVSS)

Methodology: Cause of death was 

certified by an attending physician, 

coroner, or medical examiner and 

recorded on the death certificate.

Note: Data represent resident deaths

in the United States. U.S. territories 

not included.

FOR ADULTS AGED 25–44

TOP 5 CAUSES OF DEATH 

118,173 deaths in 2014

1

2

3

4

5

Unintentional injuries

Cancer

Heart disease

Suicide

Homicide

All other causes

28.3%

12.6%

11.6% 11.2%

5.7%

30.6%

TOP 5 CAUSES OF DEATH 

524,725 deaths in 2014

FOR ADULTS AGED 45–64

1

2

3

4

5

Cancer

Heart disease

Unintentional injuries

Liver disease & cirrhosis

Chronic lower respiratory 

diseases

All other causes

33.2% 30.5%

20.8%

7.4% 4.1%

4.0% Top 5 causes of death accounted 

for 69.4% of all deathsamong 

adults aged 25–44 in 2014.

Top 5 causes of death accounted 

for 66.8% of all deathsamong 

adults aged 45–64 in 2014.

DIABETES

ABOUT THE DATA

Source: NCHS/National Health 

and Nutrition Examination Survey 

(NHANES)

Participants: Noninstitutionalized 

civilians. Pregnant women not 

included.

Methodology: 

Physician-diagnosed diabetes 

was self-reported by participants.

Undiagnosed diabetes was 

detected using blood samples 

collected during the survey in 

Mobile Examination Centers.

•

•

Diabetes prevalence among adults aged 20 and over, 

by age: 2011–2014

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Physician-diagnosed

20–44 years

YOUNG ADULTS MIDDLE-AGED 

ADULTS

OLDER ADULTS

1.4

4.0

26.3

16.6

9.3

45–64 years 65 years and over

Undiagnosed

Total

Percent

2.6

12.3

21.9

4.3

4.3

TOTAL DIABETES WAS MOST 

COMMON AMONG OLDER 

ADULTS IN 2011–2014.

Older adults were approximately 

1.6 times as likely to have total 

diabetes as middle-aged adults and 

approximately 6.6 times as likely to 

have total diabetes as young adults.

Undiagnosed diabetes was a 

greater percent of total diabetes 

prevalence among young adults.

YOUNG

35%

MIDDLE-AGED

26%

OLDER

16%

“UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES”

No physician diagnosis

+

OR

EITHER

Fasting plasma glucose

≥ 126 mg/dL

Hemoglobin A1c

≥ 6.5%
SUBSTANCE USE

ABOUT THE DATA

Source: SAMHSA/

National Survey on Drug 

Use and Health (NSDUH)

Respondents: 

Noninstitutionalized 

adolescents.

Methodology: Drug use 

was self-reported by the 

respondent in a private 

and confidential setting. 

Notes: 

Illicit drugs include 

marijuana and hashish, 

cocaine and crack, 

heroin, hallucinogens, 

inhalants, and psychotherapeutic drugs used 

nonmedically. 

Tobacco products

include tobacco 

cigarettes (not 

e-cigarettes), smokeless 

tobacco, cigars, and 

pipe tobacco. 

•

•

Any use of selected substances in the past 30 days among adolescents aged 12–17, by 

type of substance and age: 2004–2014

1.1%

Percent

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2004 2014 2004 2014 2004 2014

Illicit drugs Alcohol Tobacco

16.5%

16–17 years

16–17 years

16–17 years

14–15 years

14–15 years

12–13 years 12–13 years

14–15 years

12–13 years

23.3%

7.9% 8.5%

3.4% 2.1%

14.4%

5.1%

How did any use of illicit drugs, alcohol, or tobacco in the past 30 days among adolescents change from 2004 to 2014?

16–17

14–15

12–13

Stable

Decrease

Stable

Decrease Decrease

Decrease Decrease

Decrease Stable

# OF ADOLESCENT ILLICIT DRUG USERS

IN THE PAST 30 DAYS (2014):

2.3 MILLION 

MOST POPULAR ILLICIT DRUG 

AMONG ADOLESCENTS (2014):

MARIJUANA

# OF ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL USERS 

IN THE PAST 30 DAYS (2014):

2.9 MILLION

ADOLESCENT BINGE 

ALCOHOL USERS (2014):

1.5 MILLION

# OF ADOLESCENT TOBACCO USERS 

IN THE PAST 30 DAYS (2014):

1.7 MILLION

MOST POPULAR TOBACCO PRODUCT 

AMONG ADOLESCENTS (2014):

CIGARETTES

ASTHMA & ALLERGIES

ABOUT THE DATA

Source: NCHS/National 

Health Interview Survey 

(NHIS)

Respondents:

Noninstitutionalized 

civilians.

Methodology: Asthma 

attacks and allergic 

reactions were reported 

by the child’s parent or a 

knowledgeable adult. 

Asthma attacks and allergic reactions occurring in the past 

year among children aged 5–17: 2003–2005 and 2012–2014

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Asthma attack

11.2

18.4

9.1

20.0

Skin allergy Respiratory allergy

Percent

5.8 5.6

3.6

5.5

Food allergy

2003–2005

2012–2014

Food allergies

Skin allergies

Respiratory allergies

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BETWEEN

2003–2005 AND 2012–2014

Poorly-controlled asthma can 

negatively impact:

School 

attendance

Academic 

performance

For additional information on Health, United States, see

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm.

For further information about NCHS and its programs, see 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs.