Black men usually had higher death rates than white men. Long term trends were similar for both race groups, except for diabetes and colorectal cancer. For diabetes, the long-term increase has been gradual among white men, but dramatic among black men. For colorectal cancer, the long-term improvement is limited to white men. Among black men, colorectal cancer death rates have remained fairly stable.
Age differences are inevitable chronic disease death rates increase as men get older.
However, there are some differences in the long-term trends for the various age groups. For heart disease, stroke, COPD, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, all age groups experienced similar long-term trends. For younger men, diabetes rates also increased but at a more gradual pace. For lung cancer, the long-term stability is a reflection of stable rates among elderly men. Black men in Allegheny County have shorter life expectancies than white men, or than the total U.S. population.