BY THE NUMBERS

GLOBAL HEALTH | April 10, 2008

Dead to the World

Whether living in rich or poor countries, heart disease is the leading cause of death.

Worldwide, an estimated 57 million people died in 2002. But whether they lived in a high-income country or a low-income one, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death. The World Health Organization reported that in high-income countries more than two-thirds of all people live beyond the age of 70 and die from chronic diseases. This drops to half of all people in middle-income countries and less than a quarter of people in low-income countries. But while cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases round out the causes of death in the wealthiest countries, HIV/AIDS, complications from pregnancy and childbirth, and road accidents are leading causes of death for people in middle-income countries. Infectious diseases, diarrheal disease and malaria are among the biggest killers in low-income countries. Nearly 11 million deaths in 2002 were among children under five years of age and 98 percent of them were in low-and middle-income countries.

 

THE TEN LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH BY INCOME GROUP IN 2002
(Death in millions / percent of deaths)

High-Income Countries


 


Middle-Income Countries




Low-Income Countries

Source: World Health Organization