Sick & Dying
The top 9 causes of death in the world (accounting for half of all deaths) are due to medical illnesses. Combined, heart and cerebrovascular diseases (e.g., heart attack and stroke) account for almost 24% of the world’s deaths. In low-income countries, the 2 biggest causes of death are lower respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases (approximately 20% combined). HIV/AIDS accounts for another 8% of deaths in low-income countries. Forty-percent of all deaths in low-income countries are among children (age 0-14).
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Across the world, the most prevalent medical conditions are iron-deficiency anemia (1.2 billion), hearing loss (636 million), migraine (324 million), low vision (272 million), asthma (235 million), and diabetes mellitus (220 million). The most common disabling medical conditions are hearing and vision loss. Approximately 19 million experience severe functional disability due to medical conditions, while another 80 million experience moderate long-term disability. Rates of disability rise significantly with age.
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Approximately 4% of all infants die before they reach 12 months of age. Countries with the highest infant mortality include Afghanistan (12%), Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia, Yemen (5-6%), and much of Sub-Saharan Africa. Infant mortality in the US is less than 1%. However, the US infant mortality rate is higher than most other developed countries, largely because of a high percentage of preterm births.
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Global life-expectancy from birth is 70 years, with the lowest life-expectancies occurring in Sub-Saharan African Countries (many ranging from 50-60 years). The US life-expectancy of 78 places it 50th among 221 countries.
World Health Organization – Global Burden of Disease