How death has changed over the last 110 years

[andrewducker]

via

Comments

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I love Wonkblog.

[eatsoylentgreen.livejournal.com]

this somehow seems to suggest that the death rate has dropped 45% or so. Last time I checked it's still 100%.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

The two obvious changes are the emergence of suicides (no longer illegal, and the religious angle no longer has the edge it used to) and the growth in cancer (natural consequence of increased longevity).

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming this is for the US only? Not that the Washington Post bothers stating that, of course...

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

This does have the bizarre implication that there are only 600 deaths per 100,000 people in the US per year, whereas you'd expect it to be about 1200 (assuming life expectancy of 80+ years). Have they just left off 600 deaths from general "old age"? Or do half of all US deaths happen abroad? Or is immigration somehow accounting for this?