Males incurred more deaths due to preventable injuries than females at all ages from birth to age 83 in 2021. The difference between the preventable injury-related death totals ranged from 9 more male deaths at age 85 to 1,853 more deaths at age 31. The excess number of deaths for males was most evident from the mid-20s to the early-60s, when the gap begins to narrow. From age 86 on, deaths of females exceeded those of males by as little as 27 at age 86 to as many as 446 at ages 93.
Throughout life, males have greater preventable injury death rates than females. Death rates for both sexes are lowest from birth until the mid-teen years, where rates rise rapidly. Rates then remain fairly constant until the early 70s, where they again rise steadily with increasing age.
Using the slider control at the top of this interactive chart, one can observe the changes in the number of fatalities during the period 2018 to 2021 for the leading causes of preventable death.
For definitions click on the leading causes below:
- Chart
- Data Table
Source: National Center for Health Statistics mortality data for 2021, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program.