Selenium: Geochemical distribution and associations with human heart and cancer death rates and longevity in China and the United States

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify rural and metropolitan trends in premature heart disease (HD) mortality using the most up-to-date data available (through 2013). To our knowledge this is the first study to analyze these geographic disparities for Hispanics (HSP), Asians/Pacific Islanders (API), and American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Methods: Annual age-adjusted HD death rates for adults aged 25-64 years were analyzed for 2000-2013. Rates were calculated for 5 racial/ethnic groups (Non-Hispanic Whites (WNH), Non-Hispanic Blacks (BNH), HSP of any race, Non-Hispanic API, and Non-Hispanic AI/AN). County-level data were aggregated by urbanicity: large central metro (LCM), large fringe metro (LFM), medium/small metro (MSM), and micropolitan/rural (RURAL). Region was defined as South (16 states) and Non-South. All data were obtained from the National Vital Statistics System on CDC WONDER. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated by linear regression of the log-transformed death rates using SAS 9.4. Results: In 2013, the national population-at-risk predominantly resided in metro areas. However, there were more than 10 million RURAL adults aged 25-64 years in the South (16.2% of the region) and more than 13.4 million in the non-South (12.9% of the region). Nationwide, HD death rates were lowest in the LFM counties. In the South, the rate ratio (RR) for RURAL vs. LFM areas in 2011-2013 was 1.76 (95% CI 1.73 to 1.79) for WNH, 2.00 (95% CI 1.85 to 2.16) for HSP, 1.78 (95%CI 1.71 to 1.82) for BNH, 1.57 (95% CI 1.22 to 2.03) for API, and 3.13 (95% CI 2.47 to 3.96) for NNH. In the non-South, RURAL vs. LFM RRs were smaller, with the exception of API (RR 2.37, 95% CI 2.07 to 2.71). Temporal trend analyses revealed significantly smaller AAPC in RURAL areas (see Table). Conclusions: Higher death rates coupled with slower declines have resulted in a widening rural disadvantage in premature HD mortality in the United States from 2000 to 2013, particularly for WNH, HSP, BNH, and AI/AN in the South, and WNH in the non-South.

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The altered seasons of death in America

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932000008440 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 145-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

W. R. Lyster

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Seasonal Distribution ◽

Fertility Rates ◽

Death Rates ◽

The Difference ◽

The 1960S

The seasonal distribution of deaths in the United States has progressively altered since 1940. The proportion of deaths in the first half of the year has declined. During the 1940s there were 7·44% more deaths in the first half than in the second half of the year, but during the 1960s the difference was only 4·85%.The continuous shift in the seasonal distribution of the crude death rates from all causes is in association with a similar movement in the monthly fertility rates of the United States.

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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Lost Earnings From Cancer Deaths in the United States

JNCI Cancer Spectrum ◽

10.1093/jncics/pkaa038 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jingxuan Zhao ◽

Kimberly D Miller ◽

Farhad Islami ◽

Zhiyuan Zheng ◽

Xuesong Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Economic Burden ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Pacific Islanders ◽

Equal Access ◽

Years Of Life Lost ◽

Cancer Death ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Racial Ethnic

Abstract Background Little is known about disparities in economic burden due to premature cancer deaths by race or ethnicity in the United States. This study aimed to compare person-years of life lost (PYLLs) and lost earnings due to premature cancer deaths by race/ethnicity. Methods PYLLs were calculated using recent national cancer death and life expectancy data. PYLLs were combined with annual median earnings to generate lost earnings. We compared PYLLs and lost earnings among individuals who died at age 16-84 years due to cancer by racial/ethnic groups (non-Hispanic [NH] White, NH Black, NH Asian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic). Results In 2015, PYLLs due to all premature cancer deaths were 6 512 810 for NH Whites, 1 196 709 for NH Blacks, 279 721 for NH Asian or Pacific Islanders, and 665 968 for Hispanics, translating to age-standardized lost earning rates (per 100 000 person-years) of $34.9 million, $43.5 million, $22.2 million, and $24.5 million, respectively. NH Blacks had higher age-standardized PYLL and lost earning rates than NH Whites for 13 of 19 selected cancer sites. If age-specific PYLL and lost earning rates for NH Blacks were the same as those of NH Whites, 241 334 PYLLs and $3.2 billion lost earnings (22.6% of the total lost earnings among NH Blacks) would have been avoided. Disparities were also observed for average PYLLs and lost earnings per cancer death for all cancers combined and 18 of 19 cancer sites. Conclusions Improving equal access to effective cancer prevention, screening, and treatment will be important in reducing the disproportional economic burden associated with racial/ethnic disparities.

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Querying of Death Certificates in the United States

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/003335490512000312 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 120 (3) ◽

pp. 288-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Donna L. Hoyert ◽

Ann R. Lima

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

New York ◽

Incomplete Information ◽

Cause Of Death ◽

The United States ◽

Death Certificates ◽

Death Rates ◽

Underlying Cause Of Death ◽

The Impact ◽

Registration Area

Objective. Data from death certificates are often used in research; however, little has been published on the processing of vague or incomplete information reported on certificates. The goal of this study was to examine the querying efforts in the United States used to clarify such records. Methods. The authors obtained data on the querying efforts of the 50 states, New York City, and the District of Columbia. Descriptive statistics are presented for two units of analysis: registration area and death record. Using data from a single registration area, Washington State, the authors compared the percent change in age-adjusted death rates for data from before and after querying to analyze the effect of querying on selected causes of death. Results. Fifty-one of the 52 registration areas queried either demographic or cause-of-death information. Almost 90% of queries were returned; the underlying cause of death changed in approximately 68% of these records. This data translates into about 3% of total U.S. death records, given that 4% of total U.S. death records were queried about cause of death. The impact of queries on age-adjusted death rates varied by cause of death. Generally, the effect is most obvious for cause-of-death categories that are specific and relatively homogenous. Conclusion. Querying continues to be widely practiced. In the case of cause-of-death queries, this method refines the assigned underlying cause of death for records reported with vague or incomplete information.

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