Leading Causes of Death in Females
United States, 2007
Below are the leading causes of death in females for 2007.
All Females by Race/Ethnicity-
United States, 2007 
All Females
by Age Group- United States, 2007
| All Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Heart disease | 25.1 |
| 2) Cancer | 22.1 |
| 3) Stroke | 6.7 |
| 4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.5 |
| 5) Alzheimer's disease | 4.3 |
| 6) Unintentional injuries | 3.6 |
| 7) Diabetes | 2.9 |
| 8) Influenza and pneumonia | 2.3 |
| 9) Kidney disease | 2.0 |
| 10) Septicemia | 1.6 |
White
Females by Age Group- United States, 2007
| White Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Heart disease | 25.2 |
| 2) Cancer | 22.1 |
| 3) Stroke | 6.7 |
| 4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.9 |
| 5) Alzheimer's disease | 4.6 |
| 6) Unintentional injuries | 3.6 |
| 7) Diabetes | 2.6 |
| 8) Influenza and pneumonia | 2.4 |
| 9) Kidney disease | 1.8 |
| 10) Septicemia | 1.4 |
Black
Females by Age Group- United States, 2007
| Black Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Heart disease | 25.2 |
| 2) Cancer | 21.9 |
| 3) Stroke | 6.7 |
| 4) Diabetes | 4.9 |
| 5) Kidney disease | 3.3 |
| 6) Unintentional injuries | 3.0 |
| 7) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.6 |
| 8) Septicemia | 2.5 |
| 9) Alzheimer's disease | 2.4 |
| 10) Hypertension | 1.9 |
American
Indian or Alaska Native Females by Age Group- United States, 2007
| American Indian or Alaska Native Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Cancer | 18.8 |
| 2) Heart disease | 17.4 |
| 3) Unintentional injuries | 8.8 |
| 4) Diabetes | 6.3 |
| 5) Stroke | 4.9 |
| 6) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 4.8 |
| 7) Chronic liver disease | 4.5 |
| 8) Kidney disease | 2.6 |
| 9) Influenza and pneumonia | 2.0 |
| 10) Septicemia | 2.0 |
Asian
or Pacific Islander Females by Age Group- United States, 2007
| Asian or Pacific Islander Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Cancer | 27.2 |
| 2) Heart disease | 22.3 |
| 3) Stroke | 9.2 |
| 4) Diabetes | 4.1 |
| 5) Unintentional injuries | 3.8 |
| 6) Influenza and pneumonia | 2.9 |
| 7) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.5 |
| 8) Alzheimer's disease | 2.3 |
| 9) Kidney disease | 1.9 |
| 10) Hypertension | 1.6 |
Hispanic
Females by Age Group- United States, 2007
| Hispanic Females, All Ages | Percent* |
|---|---|
| 1) Heart disease | 22.3 |
| 2) Cancer | 22.0 |
| 3) Stroke | 6.3 |
| 4) Diabetes | 5.4 |
| 5) Unintentional injuries | 4.8 |
| 6) Alzheimer's disease | 2.8 |
| 7) Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.7 |
| 8) Influenza and pneumonia | 2.3 |
| 9) Kidney disease | 2.2 |
| 10) Perinatal conditions | 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 |
| Appendix Disease | Diseases of appendix |
| 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 |
| Pelvic Inflammatory diseases | Inflammatory diseases of female pelvic organs |
| Perinatal conditions | Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period |
| Pneumonitis | Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids |
| Pregnancy complications | Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium |
| Stroke | Cerebrovascular diseases |
| Suicide | Intentional self-harm |
| Unintentional injuries | Accidents (unintentional injuries) |
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Page last modified: October 31, 2011
Page last reviewed: October 31, 2011