Definition

Deaths among those aged 45 through 64 years

Numerator

Number of deaths among persons aged 45-64 years

Denominator

Number of persons aged 45-64 years in the population

Why Is This Important?

The deaths of middle-age adults present a public health concern and an opportunity for prevention. In a typical year, the leading causes of death among persons aged 45-64 years are cancer and heart disease. Changes in lifestyle and getting scheduled tests could reduce the risk of getting cancer or heart disease or catch it in an early, more treatable stage.

How Are We Doing?

The death rate among residents aged 45-64 years had been slowly declining but the increase in unintentional poisoning deaths over the last decade resulted in an increase in the death rate among persons of this age group. In 2020, 70% of unintentional injury deaths in this age group were due to drug poisoning. The death rate increased again in 2020 due to COVID-19 which was the underlying cause of more than 3,000 deaths in this age group. It is conceivable that the COVID-19 pandemic also caused an increase in other causes of death due to delays in medical care and fears of going to the hospital and being exposed to COVID. Although the death rate among Blacks aged 45-64 years remains significantly higher than that of other racial/ethnic groups, the gap had been narrowing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. A higher rate of deaths due to COVID-19 in this age group among Blacks (213.6 per 100,000 vs. 62.5 among Whites) caused the disparity to increase in 2020. The highest COVID-19 death rate in this age group was among Hispanics (272.0) who surpassed Whites as the racial/ethnic group with the second highest death rate in the 45-64 age group. In 2020, the leading causes of death among adults aged 45-64 years were cancer, COVID-19, heart disease, unintentional injury, and diabetes.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The death rate among New Jersey residents aged 45-64 years was significantly lower than the national rate in 2020.

Evidence-based Practices

Changes in lifestyle such as increasing physical activity, eating a good diet, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, wearing sunscreen, and getting scheduled tests like mammograms and Pap smears could reduce the risk of getting cancer or heart disease or catch it in an early, more treatable stage.

Health Program Information

NJDOH and NJDHS Programs: *[http://nj.gov/health/ces/ NJDOH Cancer Initiatives] *[http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/chronic/ NJDOH Chronic Disease Prevention & Control Services] *[https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhas/home/ NJDHS Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services]