Study looks at variance in premature death rates

Premature death rates declined in the U.S. among adult Hispanics, blacks and Asian/Pacific Islanders between 1999 and 2014, mainly due to fewer deaths from cancer, heart disease and HIV, according to a study reported this week in The Lancet. However, rates increased among white and Native American adults, primarily due to drug poisonings, suicide, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. “The results of our study suggest that, in addition to continued efforts against cancer, heart disease and HIV, there is an urgent need for aggressive actions targeting emerging causes of death, namely drug overdoses, suicide and liver disease,” said lead author Meredith Shiels, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute, which funded the study.