Changes

Deaths are caused by infectious diseases, by degenerative diseases or by violence (such as suicide, accidents and homicide.) The causes vary greatly across countries and across the centuries.  

Deaths are caused by infectious diseases, by degenerative diseases or by violence (such as suicide, accidents and homicide.) The causes vary greatly across countries and across the centuries.  

The World Health Organization promulgates the International Classification of Diseases, (ICD) which every country uses. Therefore it is possible to compare mortality in different countries. Before the ICD became standard, death certificates varied widely even when describing the same symptoms. However, death statistics are well kept only in the richer nations, and before 1900 were rarely well kept anywhere. Note that the classification focuses on the disease that was the immediate cause of death (such as lung cancer) and not on whatever caused the disease (such as smoking).  

The World Health Organization promulgates the International Classification of Diseases, (ICD) which every country uses. Therefore, it is possible to compare mortality in different countries. Before the ICD became standard, death certificates varied widely even when describing the same symptoms. However, death statistics are well kept only in the richer nations, and before 1900 were rarely well kept anywhere. Note that the classification focuses on the disease that was the immediate cause of death (such as lung cancer) and not on whatever caused the disease (such as smoking).  

===Social Status===

===Social Status===

The more money, information, education, access and prestige a person has, the better health for the family. Additional years of schooling reduce mortality. Apart in violent episodes, very few people die at work (only 50 deaths per million per year). Therefore the main occupational difference is exposure to serious accidents (or, in the case of taxi drivers and convenience store clerks, to homicide.) The risk of fatal accidents is highest for fishermen, lumberjacks and pilots of small planes.  Among economically developed nations, there is no correlation between average income and life expectancy. Inside each country, however, the better educated, higher income groups live longer. For example, for men age 35-64, the poorest have a death rate about 11% higher than the richest (in large part because people in poor health earn much less money.) Overall, high income white men live about two years longer than low income white men.  

The more money, information, education, access and prestige a person has, the better health for the family. Additional years of schooling reduce mortality. Apart in violent episodes, very few people die at work (only 50 deaths per million per year). Therefore, the main occupational difference is exposure to serious accidents (or, in the case of taxi drivers and convenience store clerks, to homicide.) The risk of fatal accidents is highest for fishermen, lumberjacks and pilots of small planes.  Among economically developed nations, there is no correlation between average income and life expectancy. Inside each country, however, the better educated, higher income groups live longer. For example, for men age 35-64, the poorest have a death rate about 11% higher than the richest (in large part because people in poor health earn much less money.) Overall, high income white men live about two years longer than low income white men.  

Gender

Gender

Demographers Kevin White and Samuel Preston have estimated what the American population would have been if improvements in health care and life expectation had suddenly stopped. That is, they froze the death rates at 1900 levels and projected the population in 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980 and 2000. (They also froze the levels of 1920, 1940, 1960 and 1980 to see what would happen.)  

Demographers Kevin White and Samuel Preston have estimated what the American population would have been if improvements in health care and life expectation had suddenly stopped. That is, they froze the death rates at 1900 levels and projected the population in 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980 and 2000. (They also froze the levels of 1920, 1940, 1960 and 1980 to see what would happen.)  

In 1900 the United States population was 81 million, and life expectancy at birth was 47 years. Column A of the table can be read as follows: Assume there was no improvement after 1900. That is, death rates are frozen at 1900 levels. Column B assumes that death rates froze at 1920 levels, column C at 1940 levels, column D at 1960 levels and column E at 1980 levels. The population in 1920 was actually 114 million, but it would have been only 109 million. In 1940 the actual population was 139 million, but it would have been 134. In 1980 the actual population was 230 million, but it would have been only 137 million. In 2000 the actual population will be about 276, but it would be only 139 million. In other words if death rates froze at 1900 levels, there would only be half as many Americans alive today.  

In 1900 the United States population was 81 million, and life expectancy at birth was 47 years. Column A of the table can be read as follows: Assume there was no improvement after 1900. That is, death rates are frozen at 1900 levels. Column B assumes that death rates froze at 1920 levels, column C at 1940 levels, column D at 1960 levels and column E at 1980 levels. The population in 1920 was actually 114 million, but it would have been only 109 million. In 1940 the actual population was 139 million, but it would have been 134. In 1980 the actual population was 230 million, but it would have been only 137 million. In 2000 the actual population will be about 276, but it would be only 139 million. In other words, if death rates froze at 1900 levels, there would only be half as many Americans alive today.