Total Mortality

Total Mortality is an accurate, reliable measure of the effects of poor health. The mortality rate is age- and race-adjusted and is an average of the most recent three years of data.

Table 33 displays the 2004 ranks, based on 1999 to 2001 data (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The total mortality rate varies from 675.4 deaths per 100,000 population in Hawaii to 1,006.1 deaths per 100,000 population in West Virginia. The national average is 867.1 deaths per 100,000 population, which is down 4.5 deaths from the 2003 Edition.

Since 2003, South Dakota and Vermont have seen the largest decreases in total mortality rates - 25.6 and 25.5 fewer deaths per 100,000 population, respectively. Idaho, Hawaii, New Mexico and Alaska experienced increases in total mortality of 10 or more additional deaths per 100,000 population.

Since the 1990 Edition, the U.S. rate has decreased by 21.3 deaths per 100,000 population. The largest drops in mortality occurred in Vermont, down from 889.2 to 775.9 deaths per 100,000 population, and New York, down from 912.0 to 809.8 deaths per 100,000 population. In total, mortality has decreased in 31 states since 1990. The greatest increases in total mortality were experienced by Montana, up from 791.0 to 880.2 deaths per 100,000 population, and Oklahoma, up from 904.5 to 984.7 deaths per 100,000 population.

¹ Source: 1999-2001 data, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention