A new global study shows that deaths from such “noncommunicable” conditions have been declining in most countries — but the pace of that decline, including in high-income countries like the United States, has slowed in recent years.
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In the United States, the overall probability of dying from a chronic disease fell markedly between 2001 and 2010 but remained nearly flat over the following nine years. Among younger adults (20 to 45 years old), this probability increased — a rarity among high-income countries. The chance of dying specifically from neuropsychiatric conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and alcohol and drug use disorders also rose in the United States during this period.
The overall decline in deaths is unquestionably good news, said Dr. Karen Hacker, a former director of chronic disease prevention and health promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who was not involved in the research. The bad news, though, is that there are still large numbers of people, in the United States and elsewhere, getting sick and dying from chronic diseases — and more are expected to as populations age.
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