By Ethan Covey
Provisional data on mortality in the United States during 2023 show that COVID-19–related deaths fell considerably, dropping by nearly 70% from 2022 rates.
Overall, the study reports that deaths in 2023 decreased from the prior year; decreases were seen in most of the leading causes of death, and for most age groups (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73[31]:677-681).
“Provisional death estimates can give researchers and policymakers an early signal about shifts in mortality trends and provide actionable information sooner than do the final mortality data,” said Farida B. Ahmad, MPH, of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
The study focused on data from the NCHS National Vital Statistics System, which collects and reports annual mortality statistics from U.S. death certificates.
The provisional data showed that 3,090,582 deaths occurred in the United States during 2023, and that the age-adjusted death rate fell 6.1% from 2022 to 2023. Age-adjusted death rates were highest among non-Hispanic Blacks, and lowest among non-Hispanic multiracial individuals.
The three leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer and unintentional injury. COVID-19, which had been the fourth leading cause of death during 2022, dropped to 10th place. COVID-19–associated deaths dropped 68.9% from 2022, and fell among all age groups. In 2023, COVID-19 was the underlying cause for 1.6% of all deaths, a decrease from 5.7% during 2022.
“These data can guide public health policies and interventions that are intended to reduce mortality,” Ms. Ahmad said.
Ms. Ahmad reported no relevant financial disclosures.
