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 Men's Health

Leading Causes of Death in Males
United States, 2003

Pictures of males at different life stages

Below are the leading causes of death in males for 2003.

All Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 28.0
2) Cancer 24.0
3) Unintentional injuries 5.9
4) Stroke 5.1
5) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5.1
6) Diabetes 2.9
7) Influenza and pneumonia 2.4
8) Suicide 2.1
9) Kidney disease 1.7
10) Alzheimer's disease 1.5

 

White Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 28.4
2) Cancer 24.3
3) Unintentional injuries 5.8
4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5.4
5) Stroke 5.0
6) Diabetes 2.8
7) Influenza and pneumonia 2.4
8) Suicide 2.2
9) Alzheimer's disease 1.7
10) Kidney disease 1.6

 

Black Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 25.3
2) Cancer 21.9
3) Unintentional injuries 5.7
4) Stroke 5.3
5) Homicide 4.8
6) Diabetes 3.7
7) HIV disease 3.4
8) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2.9
9) Kidney disease 2.5
10) Influenza and pneumonia 2.0

 

American Indian or Alaska Native Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 21.5
2) Cancer 15.4
3) Unintentional injuries 14.7
4) Diabetes 5.2
5) Chronic liver disease 4.5
6) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3.8
7) Suicide 3.7
8) Stroke 3.4
9) Influenza and pneumonia 2.6
10) Homicide 2.5

 

Asian or Pacific Islander Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 26.1
2) Cancer 25.5
3) Stroke 7.9
4) Unintentional injuries 5.6
5) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 3.8
6) Diabetes 3.3
7) Influenza and pneumonia 3.2
8) Suicide 2.4
9) Kidney disease 1.4
10) Homicide 1.4

 

Hispanic Males, All Ages Percent*
1) Heart disease 21.8
2) Cancer 18.6
3) Unintentional injuries 11.6
4) Stroke 4.5
5) Diabetes 4.4
6) Homicide 4.1
7) Chronic liver disease 3.5
8) Suicide 2.5
9) Chronic lower respiratory diseases 2.5
10) HIV disease 2.2

 

*Percent of total deaths in the race category due to the disease indicated. The white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander race groups include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Short and Full Terms

Some terms in the leading causes of death tables have been shortened from those used in the National Vital Statistics Report. Below is a listing of the shortened terms used in the tables and their full, unabridged equivalents used in the report.

Short Terms Full Terms
Aortic aneurism Aortic aneurism and dissection
Benign neoplasms In situ neoplasms, benign neoplasms and neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior
Birth defects Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
Bronchitis Acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis
Cancer Malignant neoplasms
Chronic liver disease Chronic liver disease and cirrhosiss
Diabetes Diabetes mellitus
Gallbladder disorders Cholethiasis and other disorders of gallbladder
Heart disease Diseases of heart
HIV disease Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease
Homicide Assault (homicide)
Hypertension Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease
Kidney disease Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis
Kidney infection Infections of kidney
Medical & surgical care complications Complications of medical and surgical care
Perinatal conditions Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
Pneumonitis Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids
Stroke Cerebrovascular diseases
Suicide Intentional self-harm
Unintentional injuries Accidents (unintentional injuries)

 

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Content Source: CDC Office of Women's Health
Page last modified: May 21, 2007
Page last reviewed: May 21, 2007