Recent findings from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveal a significant shift in U.S. mortality trends. According to provisional data analyzed by researchers, COVID-19 has dropped to the tenth leading cause of death in 2023. This report utilizes early estimates of deaths to guide public health interventions and policies, although these figures are subject to revision as additional data becomes available. The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) provided this provisional data, which includes detailed mortality statistics by race, ethnicity, age, and sex.
Overall Mortality Statistics
The 2023 provisional data highlights a decrease in the overall U.S. mortality rate. With 3,090,582 recorded deaths and an age-adjusted mortality rate of 750.4 per 100,000 people, there was a 6.1% reduction compared to 2022. Notably, the highest death counts occurred in early January and late December, with 68,965 and 65,257 deaths, respectively.
Mortality rates were lowest among individuals aged 5 to 14, at 14.7 per 100,000, and highest among those aged 85 and older, at 14,286 per 100,000. Death rates showed a decline across all age groups from the previous year, with the exception of children under four years of age. Furthermore, males had a higher age-adjusted death rate (884.2) compared to females (632.8), though both rates decreased from 2022.
Impact of COVID-19 and Racial Disparities
COVID-19, which was the fourth leading cause of death in 2022, now accounts for only 1.6% of deaths in 2023, with 76,446 fatalities attributed to the disease. This represents a 68.9% decrease in the COVID-19 death rate from the previous year, with a rate of 18.2 per 100,000. The reduction in COVID-19 mortality was observed across all age and racial/ethnic groups, although males continued to experience a higher rate (22.1 per 100,000) compared to females (15.4 per 100,000).
The report also indicates significant disparities in mortality rates among different racial and ethnic groups, with Black individuals experiencing the highest rate (924.3 per 100,000), while multiracial individuals had the lowest rate (352.1 per 100,000). The leading causes of death in 2023 included cancer, unintentional injuries, and heart disease.
The provisional data provides an early overview of mortality trends, which is vital for shaping public health strategies and interventions. However, researchers caution that these figures are subject to change due to potential delays in death certificate submissions and possible misclassification of racial and ethnic categories. These limitations highlight the importance of final data for a comprehensive understanding of U.S. mortality trends.
