List of causes of death by rate


The following is a list of the causes of human deaths worldwide for different years arranged by their associated mortality rates. There were 57,029,000 deaths tabulated in 2002. Some causes listed include deaths also included in more specific subordinate causes, and some causes are omitted, so the percentages do not sum to 100. According to the World Health Organization, about 58 million people died in 2005, using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 52.77 million people died in 2010.
The causes listed are relatively immediate medical causes, but the ultimate cause of death might be described differently. For example, tobacco smoking can cause lung disease or cancer, and alcohol abuse can cause liver failure or a motor vehicle accident. For statistics on preventable ultimate causes, see preventable causes of death.

By frequency

Age standardized death rate, per 100,000, by cause, in 2017, and percentage change 2007–2017.
CauseRatePercent of all deathsPercent Change 2007–2017
All causes737.7
100%-14.2
Communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders143.8
19.49%-31.8
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections13.9
1.88%-53.6
HIV/AIDS12.1
1.64%-56.5
HIV/AIDS – Drug-susceptible Tuberculosis2.5
0.34%-61.1
HIV/AIDS – Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis without extensive drug resistance0.3
0.04%-58.1
HIV/AIDS – Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis0.0
0.00%-20.3
HIV/AIDS resulting in other diseases9.3
1.26%-55.1
Sexually transmitted infections excluding HIV1.8
0.24%-14.4
Syphilis1.7
0.23%-14.3
Chlamydial infection0.0
0.00%-15.2
Gonococcal infection0.0
0.00%-14.9
Other sexually transmitted infections0.0
0.00%-15.9
Respiratory infections and tuberculosis50.5
6.85%-24.5
Tuberculosis14.9
2.02%-31.4
Drug-susceptible tuberculosis13.2
1.79%-31.9
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis without extensive drug resistance1.6
0.22%-28.6
Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis0.2
0.03%-7.7
Lower respiratory infections35.4
4.80%-21.1
Upper respiratory infections0.1
0.01%-42.1
Otitis media0.0
0.00%-50.4
Enteric infections24.4
3.31%-29.9
Diarrhoeal diseases21.6
2.93%-30.2
Typhoid and paratyphoid1.9
0.26%-27.8
1.6
0.22%-29.1
0.3
0.04%-18.9
iNTS0.8
0.11%-24.8
Other intestinal infectious diseases0.0
0.00%-44.7
Neglected tropical diseases and malaria10.1
1.37%-36.1
Malaria8.7
1.18%-37.3
Chagas disease0.1
0.01%-21.1
Leishmaniasis0.1
0.01%-67.8
0.1
0.01%-67.8
African trypanosomiasis 0.0
0.00%-82.8
Schistosomiasis0.1
0.01%-28.5
Cysticercosis0.0
0.00%-27.3
Cystic echinococcosis0.0
0.00%-41.9
Dengue0.5
0.07%40.7
Yellow fever0.1
0.01%-23.3
Rabies0.2
0.03%-54.8
Intestinal nematode infections0.0
0.00%-47.2
0.0
0.00%-47.2
Ebola virus disease0.0
0.00%-98.4
Zika virus disease0.0
0.00%-
Other neglected tropical diseases0.2
0.03%-3.7
Other infectious diseases11.6
1.57%-33.8
Meningitis4.0
0.54%-27.8
Pneumococcal meningitis0.6
0.08%-22.4
H influenzae type B meningitis1.1
0.15%-40.6
Meningococcal infection0.4
0.05%-37.1
Other meningitis2.0
0.27%-17.3
Encephalitis1.2
0.16%-14.3
Diphtheria0.1
0.01%-28.6
Whooping cough 1.4
0.19%-27.1
Tetanus0.5
0.07%-59.6
Measles1.4
0.19%-59.3
Varicella and herpes zoster 0.2
0.03%-29.2
Acute hepatitis1.6
0.22%-24.5
Acute hepatitis A0.3
0.04%-38.7
Acute hepatitis B1.1
0.15%-19.6
Acute hepatitis C0.0
0.00%-32.1
Acute hepatitis E0.2
0.03%-25.8
Other unspecified infectious diseases1.1
0.15%-13.4
Maternal and neonatal disorders29.5
4.00%-26.6
Maternal disorders2.5
0.34%-30.7
Maternal haemorrhage0.5
0.07%-56.4
Maternal sepsis and other pregnancy related infections
0.3
0.04%-33.5
Maternal hypertensive disorders0.4
0.05%-13.0
Maternal obstructed labour and uterine rupture0.2
0.03%-25.2
Maternal abortive outcome0.2
0.03%-15.7
Ectopic pregnancy0.1
0.01%-19.2
Indirect maternal deaths0.4
0.05%-12.5
Late maternal deaths0.0
0.00%-9.5
Maternal deaths aggravated by HIV/AIDS0.0
0.00%-32.1
Other maternal disorders0.3
0.04%-16.5
Neonatal disorders27.1
3.67%-26.2
Neonatal preterm birth9.9
1.34%-28.1
Neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma8.1
1.10%-26.5
Neonatal sepsis and other neonatal infections3.1
0.42%-14.4
Hemolytic disease and other neonatal jaundice0.7
0.09%-39.3
Other neonatal disorders5.3
0.72%-25.7
Nutritional deficiencies3.8
0.52%-33.6
Protein-energy malnutrition3.3
0.45%-34.6
Other nutritional deficiencies0.5
0.07%-25.8
Non-communicable diseases536.1
72.67%-7.9
Neoplasms121.2
16.43%-4.4
Lip and oral cavity cancer2.4
0.33%4.0
Nasopharynx cancer0.9
0.12%-3.0
Other pharynx cancer1.4
0.19%7.9
Oesophageal cancer5.5
0.75%-14.5
Stomach cancer11.0
1.49%-17.1
Colon and rectum cancer11.5
1.56%-4.3
Liver cancer10.2
1.38%-2.5
4.0
0.54%-6.2
3.0
0.41%-2.1
1.6
0.22%0.6
0.8
0.11%7.6
0.8
0.11%-0.9
Gallbladder and biliary tract cancer2.2
0.30%-6.7
Pancreatic cancer5.6
0.76%4.8
Larynx cancer1.6
0.22%-7.7
Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer23.7
3.21%-2.0
Malignant skin melanoma0.8
0.11%-5.1
Non-melanoma skin cancer0.8
0.11%2.7
0.8
0.11%2.7
Breast cancer7.6
1.03%-2.6
Cervical cancer3.2
0.43%-7.2
Uterine cancer1.1
0.15%-10.4
Ovarian cancer2.2
0.30%-1.0
Prostate cancer5.5
0.75%-2.5
Testicular cancer0.1
0.01%-9.4
Kidney cancer1.8
0.24%-1.3
Bladder cancer2.6
0.35%-5.4
Brain and nervous system cancer3.1
0.42%3.8
Thyroid cancer0.5
0.07%-1.2
Mesothelioma0.4
0.05%-3.4
Hodgkin lymphoma0.4
0.05%-16.8
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma3.2
0.43%0.1
Multiple myeloma1.4
0.19%-0.4
Leukaemia4.5
0.61%-9.6
Acute lymphoid leukaemia0.7
0.09%-1.5
Chronic lymphoid leukaemia0.5
0.07%-10.3
Acute myeloid leukaemia1.3
0.18%-1.0
Chronic myeloid leukaemia0.3
0.04%-19.9
Other leukaemia1.8
0.24%-15.6
Other malignant cancers4.6
0.62%0.1
Other neoplasms1.3
0.18%7.4
Myelodysplastic, myeloproliferative, and other hematopoietic neoplasms1.3
0.18%7.1
Other benign and in situ neoplasms0.1
0.01%15.5
Cardiovascular diseases233.1
31.60%-10.3
Rheumatic heart disease3.7
0.50%-21.3
Ischaemic heart disease116.9
15.85%-9.7
Stroke80.5
10.91%-13.6
Ischaemic stroke36.6
4.96%-11.8
Intracerebral hemorrhage38.2
5.18%-15.7
Subarachnoid hemorrhage5.7
0.77%-9.4
Hypertensive heart disease12.3
1.67%7.5
Non-rheumatic valvular heart disease2.0
0.27%-5.3
Non-rheumatic calcific aortic valve disease1.4
0.19%-1.0
Non-rheumatic degenerative mitral valve disease0.5
0.07%-14.0
Other non-rheumatic valve diseases0.1
0.01%-17.8
Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis4.8
0.65%-16.6
Myocarditis0.6
0.08%-13.3
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy1.1
0.15%-40.5
Other cardiomyopathy3.1
0.42%-3.6
Atrial fibrillation and flutter4.0
0.54%2.6
Aortic aneurysm2.2
0.30%-8.5
Peripheral vascular disease1.0
0.14%10.5
Endocarditis1.1
0.15%1.0
Other cardiovascular and circulatory diseases4.7
0.64%-7.9
Chronic respiratory diseases51.4
6.97%-14.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease42.2
5.72%-13.6
Pneumoconiosis0.3
0.04%-16.7
0.1
0.01%-15.5
0.0
0.00%-8.3
0.0
0.00%-26.6
0.0
0.00%-17.5
Asthma6.3
0.85%-23.9
Interstitial lung disease and pulmonary sarcoidosis1.9
0.26%11.4
Other chronic respiratory diseases0.7
0.09%-3.2
Digestive diseases30.3
4.11%-10.7
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases16.5
2.24%-9.7
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to hepatitis B4.8
0.65%-14.3
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to hepatitis C4.2
0.57%-8.4
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to alcohol use4.1
0.56%-8.8
Cirrhosis due to NASH1.5
0.20%-1.4
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to other causes1.9
0.26%-8.6
Upper digestive system diseases3.8
0.52%-21.6
Peptic ulcer disease3.1
0.42%-23.5
Gastritis and duodenitis0.7
0.09%-11.7
Appendicitis0.6
0.08%-17.0
Paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction3.2
0.43%-5.8
Inguinal, femoral, and abdominal hernia0.6
0.08%-8.9
Inflammatory bowel disease0.5
0.07%-10.5
Vascular intestinal disorders1.3
0.18%-10.2
Gallbladder and biliary diseases1.5
0.20%-5.0
Pancreatitis1.3
0.18%-5.7
Other digestive diseases1.2
0.16%-7.1
Neurological disorders43.1
5.84%0.1
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias35.4
4.80%0.6
Parkinson's disease4.6
0.62%0.8
Epilepsy1.7
0.23%-10.7
Multiple sclerosis0.3
0.04%-3.9
Motor neuron disease0.4
0.05%1.2
Other neurological disorders0.7
0.09%2.0
Mental disorders0.0
0.00%7.5
Eating disorders0.0
0.00%7.5
Anorexia nervosa0.0
0.00%5.5
Bulimia nervosa0.0
0.00%13.5
Substance use disorders4.3
0.58%2.0
Alcohol use disorders2.3
0.31%-16.5
Drug use disorders2.1
0.28%34.1
Opioid use disorders1.4
0.19%49.4
Cocaine use disorders0.1
0.01%19.6
Amphetamine use disorders0.1
0.01%8.7
Other drug use disorders0.6
0.08%11.3
Diabetes and kidney diseases33.6
4.55%1.3
Diabetes mellitus17.5
2.37%1.2
Diabetes mellitus type 14.3
0.58%-11.0
Diabetes mellitus type 213.2
1.79%5.9
Chronic kidney disease15.9
2.16%1.5
Chronic kidney disease due to diabetes mellitus type 10.9
0.12%-1.2
Chronic kidney disease due to diabetes mellitus type 24.5
0.61%4.2
Chronic kidney disease due to hypertension4.6
0.62%3.2
Chronic kidney disease due to glomerulonephritis2.4
0.33%-1.3
Chronic kidney disease due to other and unspecified causes3.4
0.46%-1.4
Acute glomerulonephritis0.1
0.01%-9.5
Skin and subcutaneous diseases1.3
0.18%8.1
Bacterial skin diseases1.0
0.14%12.7
0.03%19.6
0.11%10.5
Decubitus ulcer0.3
0.04%-5.1
Other skin and subcutaneous diseases0.1
0.01%3.3
Musculoskeletal disorders1.6
0.22%-0.1
Rheumatoid arthritis0.6
0.08%-5.9
Other musculoskeletal disorders1.0
0.14%3.9
Other non-communicable diseases16.3
2.21%-11.2
Congenital anomalies8.7
1.18%-18.2
Neural tube defects0.9
0.12%-16.5
Congenital heart anomalies3.9
0.53%-21.8
Orofacial clefts0.1
0.01%-41.9
Down's syndrome0.4
0.05%-5.2
Other chromosomal abnormalities0.3
0.04%0.3
Congenital musculoskeletal and limb anomalies0.2
0.03%-12.8
Urogenital congenital anomalies0.2
0.03%-8.5
Digestive congenital anomalies0.8
0.11%-19.3
Other congenital anomalies2.1
0.28%-15.9
Urinary diseases and male infertility3.6
0.49%5.7
Urinary tract infections2.7
0.37%10.9
Urolithiasis 0.2
0.03%-1.2
Other urinary diseases0.7
0.09%-9.9
Gynecological diseases0.1
0.01%-2.6
Uterine fibroids0.0
0.00%8.1
Polycystic ovarian syndrome0.0
0.00%1.0
Endometriosis0.0
0.00%-3.2
Genital prolapse0.0
0.00%-24.1
Other gynecological diseases0.1
0.01%-3.6
Hemoglobinopathies and hemolytic anaemias1.4
0.19%-11.3
Thalassemias0.1
0.01%-27.9
Sickle cell disorders0.5
0.07%-3.1
G6PD deficiency0.2
0.03%-7.1
Other hemoglobinopathies and hemolytic anaemias0.6
0.08%-16.1
Endocrine, metabolic, blood, and immune disorders1.9
0.26%0.8
Sudden infant death syndrome0.6
0.08%-20.2
Injuries57.9
7.85%-13.7
Transport injuries17.0
2.30%-17.0
Road injuries15.8
2.14%-17.1
Pedestrian road injuries6.2
0.84%-21.4
Cyclist road injuries0.9
0.12%-8.8
Motorcyclist road injuries2.9
0.39%-12.4
Motor vehicle road injuries5.8
0.79%-15.6
Other road injuries0.1
0.01%-19.4
Other transport injuries1.2
0.16%-15.5
Unintentional injuries23.8
3.23%-15.3
Falls9.2
1.25%-2.8
Drowning4.0
0.54%-27.3
Fire, heat, and hot substances1.6
0.22%-22.9
Poisonings0.9
0.12%-20.8
0.07%-26.6
0.07%-14.4
Exposure to mechanical forces1.8
0.24%-20.3
0.04%-16.4
0.20%-21.0
Adverse effects of medical treatment1.6
0.22%-6.2
Animal contact1.1
0.15%-16.0
0.12%-16.0
0.01%-16.1
Foreign body1.7
0.23%-14.1
0.22%-13.9
0.01%-15.8
Environmental heat and cold exposure0.7
0.09%-29.4
Exposure to forces of nature0.1
0.01%-45.8
Other unintentional injuries1.2
0.16%-25.8
Self-harm and interpersonal violence17.1
2.32%-7.6
Self-harm10.0
1.36%-14.8
Self-harm by firearm0.8
0.11%-10.3
Self-harm by other specified means9.2
1.25%-15.2
Interpersonal violence5.2
0.70%-11.1
Assault by firearm2.2
0.30%-3.6
Assault by sharp object1.2
0.16%-22.3
Assault by other means1.8
0.24%-11.5
Conflict and terrorism1.7
0.23%98.4
Executions and police conflict0.2
0.03%172.4

Malnutrition

Malnutrition can be identified as an underlying cause for shortened life. 70% of childhood deaths are reportedly due to diarrheal illness, acute respiratory infection, malaria and immunizable disease. However 56% of these childhood deaths can be attributed to the effects of malnutrition as an underlying cause.
The effects of malnutrition include increased susceptibility to infection, musculature wasting, skeletal deformities and neurologic development delays. According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is named as the biggest contributor to child mortality with 36 million deaths in 2005 related to malnutrition.

Developed vs. developing economies

Top causes of death, according to the World Health Organization report for the calendar year 2001:
Causes of death in developing countriesNumber of deathsCauses of death in developed countriesNumber of deaths
HIV-AIDS2,678,000Ischaemic heart disease3,512,000
Lower respiratory infections2,643,000Cerebrovascular disease3,346,000
Ischaemic heart disease2,484,000Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease1,829,000
Diarrhea1,793,000Lower respiratory infections1,180,000
Cerebrovascular disease1,381,000Lung cancer938,000
Childhood diseases1,217,000Car crash669,000
Malaria1,103,000Stomach cancer657,000
Tuberculosis1,021,000Hypertensive heart disease635,000
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease748,000Tuberculosis571,000
Measles674,000Suicide499,000

By age group

By occupation

With an average of 123.6 deaths per 100,000 from 2003 through 2010 the most dangerous occupation in the United States is the cell tower construction industry.