While not among the most uplifting topics to discuss, knowing and understanding mortality rates is important for a number of reasons.
Problems don’t go away if you ignore them, and the state of Ohio is taking steps toward solutions through education, research and discussion. Keep an eye on CityScene in coming months to read more about the health issues affecting Ohioans, and learn more about how organizations are helping Ohioans stay healthier longer.
1) Heart Disease
25,507 deaths in 2016
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans as a whole, so it’s no surprise that it’s also the top killer of Ohioans. Though genetics play a role in cardiac health, there are major lifestyle changes that can be made to ensure the risk for a cardiac event are low. Reducing one’s cholesterol and blood pressure and quitting smoking are among the most impactful changes, and maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and limiting drinking can also help reduce the risk of suffering a cardiac event.
2) Cancer
25,396 deaths in 2016
On par with the nation as a whole, cancer comes in as the second leading killer of Ohioans. According to the Ohio Department of Health, the top three most common cancers in 2013 in Ohio were lung and bronchus cancers, breast cancer, and colorectal cancers. Colorectal cancers killed more Ohioans than breast cancer during the year.
3) Accidents
7,998 deaths in 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classify “accidents” as unintentional deaths caused by transportation accidents, accidental firearm discharge, drowning and, Ohio’s most talked-about cause of death as of late, accidental drug poisoning deaths, or overdose deaths. Ohio ranks No. 3 in drug overdose death rate at 3,310 deaths by drug poisoning in 2015, tying with Kentucky and behind only New Hampshire and West Virginia. In fact, if drug poisoning deaths were not classified as accidents, they alone would come in somewhere at around No. 8 in top killer of Ohioans. However, not all the statistics are disheartening. According to ODH, 81 million fewer opioid doses were prescribed to Ohio patients in 2015 compared to 2011.
4) Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
7,014 deaths in 2016
Chronic lower respiratory disease encompasses all diseases that deal with ailments of the lungs, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A major risk factor is smoking and, luckily, a way to treat these diseases is to quit smoking.
5) Stroke
5,988 deaths in 2016
Many risk factors for strokes are also covered by the No. 1 killer of Americans. As with heart disease, the risk of stroke goes up with tobacco use, obesity, unhealthy eating and excessive drinking. There are also risk factors that can’t be controlled, such as age; the ODH says the risk of stroke doubles every 10 years after the age of 55. There’s also gender – women are more likely than men to sustain a stroke due to hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause – and race, as black people are twice as likely to die from a stroke as white people, and are at a higher risk of stroke earlier in life.
6) Alzheimer’s Disease
5,030 deaths in 2016
Ohio ranks 24th in the nation in Alzheimer’s disease deaths. Overall, one in 10 Americans over 65 have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to grow as the largest generation enters into the age range. Though Ohio ranks in about the middle, we have a long way to go, as Ohio is one of the only states in the nation without a state plan for Alzheimer’s. One of the Alzheimer’s Association’s largest initiatives in Ohio in 2017 was to develop a state plan on Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
7) Diabetes
3,569 deaths in 2016
Ohio sits at a painful No. 7 for diabetes deaths as of 2016, but finds itself down from No. 5 in 2014. A major obstacle toward treating diabetes is that many Americans – about 8.1 million – don’t even know they have it. Due to the strong correlation between type 2 diabetes and obesity, the ODH recommends an active lifestyle, meaning 150 minutes or more of moderate activity per week. Reducing fat and calorie intake, increasing education and seeking counseling for a healthy lifestyle are also recommended.
8) Kidney Disease
2,261 deaths in 2016
Acute kidney disease can be triggered by shorter-term causes such as dehydration, blood loss and the use of certain medicines, while chronic kidney disease can be more serious. High blood pressure, diabetes and diseases that slowly damage the kidneys over a long period of time can put the body at a higher risk for chronic kidney disease and, subsequently, kidney failure. According to ODH, chronic diseases accounted for 62 percent of deaths in Ohio.
9) Flu/Pneumonia
2,188 deaths in 2016
Death rates from flu and pneumonia in Ohio have been dropping steadily. In 2005, Ohio’s death rate for flu and pneumonia was at 19.4, and dropped to 16.6 in 2015. The best way to stop disease is through prevention rather than treatment, and the flu and pneumonia are no different. The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine once per year to everyone older than 6 months. It’s also recommended that children and adults older than 65 regularly receive the pneumococcal vaccine.
10) Sepsis
1,994 deaths in 2016
Sepsis overtook suicide as the No. 10 killer of Ohioans in 2016 versus 2015, but state officials have been taking notice for a few years now. In June 2015, the Ohio Hospital Association launched a statewide initiative to reduce deaths caused by sepsis by 30 percent by the end of 2018. The initiative focuses on early detection, and has been successful so far, reducing sepsis mortality by 13.4 percent between June 2015 and the end of 2016. Based on this early success, Ohioans can expect to see sepsis mortality drop even lower during the next year.
*Data courtesy of Ohio Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
