Definition

Deaths among those aged 65 through 84 years

Numerator

Number of deaths among persons aged 65-84 years

Denominator

Number of persons aged 65-84 years in the population

Why Is This Important?

In a typical year, about 40% of all deaths among New Jersey residents are of persons aged 65-84 years.

How Are We Doing?

The death rate among those aged 65-84 years was declining through 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp increase in 2020. The death rates among Blacks and Whites aged 65-84 years were well above those of Hispanics and Asians through 2019, but the high COVID-19 death rate among Hispanics in this age group (1082.1 per 100,000) resulted in a steep rise in the overall death rate among Hispanics aged 65-84 years such that their rate was about the same as that of Whites in 2020. In 2020, the leading causes of death among adults aged 65-84 years were cancer, heart disease, COVID-19, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The death rate among New Jersey residents aged 65-84 years had been significantly lower than the national rate since 2002 and in recent years the gap had been widening. The COVID-19 pandemic caused New Jersey's death rate for this age group to exceed that of the nation as a whole for the first time in more than two decades.

Health Program Information

NJDOH Cancer Initiatives: [http://nj.gov/health/ces/] NJDOH Chronic Disease Prevention & Control Services: [http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/chronic/index.shtml]